SUBMARINE  WARFARE  OF  TO-DAY 


SUBMARINE  WARFARE 
OF  TO-DAY 


HOW  THE  SUBMARINE  MENACE  WAS  MET  AND  VANQUISHED, 
WITH  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  THE  INVENTIONS  AND  DEVICES 
USED,    FAST    BOATS,    MYSTERY    SHIPS,    NETS,    AIR- 
CRAFT,  cS-c.  6-c.,  ALSO  DESCRIBING  THE  SELEC- 
TION AND  TRAINING  OF  THE  ENORMOUS 
PERSONNEL    USED    IN   THIS    NEW 
BRANCH  OF  THE  NAVY 


BY 

CHARLES  W.  DOMVILLE-FIFE 

i  < 

Lieut.  R.N.V.R.,  late  of  the  Staff  of  H.  M.  School  of  Submarine  Mining 

AUTHOR  OF 

"SUBMARINES  ^  SEA  POWER"  "SUBMARINES  OF  THE  WORLD'S  NAVIES" 
"SUBMARINE  ENGINEERING  OF  TO-DAY"  &c.  &*c.  &c. 


WITH    53    ILLUSTRATIONS 


LONDON 
SEELEY,  SERVICE  6*  CO.  LIMITED 

38  GREAT  RUSSELL  STREET 
1920 


Science  of  To- Day 
Series 


NEW  VOLUME 

13.  SUBMARINE  WARFARE  OF 
TO-DAY. 

By  C.  W.  DoMviLLE-Fin,  Lieut., 
R.N.V.R.,  late  of  the  Staff  of  H.M. 
School  of  Submarine  Mining.  Author 
of  "  Submarines  and  Sea  Power," 
"  Submarines  of  the  World's  Navies," 
"  Submarine  Engineering  of  To-Day," 
£5c.  £5fc.  With  many  Illustrations 
and  Diagrams.  Extra  Crown  8vo. 
73.  6d.  nett. 

ALREADY  PUBLISHED 

1.  ELECTRICITY  OF  TO-DAY. 

By  C.  R.  GIBSON,  F.K.S.R. 

2.  ASTRONOMY  OF  TO-DAY. 

ByCECILG.DoLMAG3,»I.A.,D.C.L.,LL.D.,F.R.A.S. 

3.  SCIENTIFIC  IDEAS  OF  TO-DAY. 

By  C.  R.  GIBSON. 

4..   BOTANY  OF  TO-DAY. 

By  PROFESSOR  G.  F.  SCOTT  ELLIOT,  M.A.,  B.SC. 

6.  ENGINEERING  OF  TO-DAY. 

By  T.  W.  CORBIN. 

7.  MEDICAL  SCIENCE  OF  TO-DAY. 

By  WILLMOTT  EVANS,  M.D. 

8.  MECHANICAL  INVENTIONS  OF  To-DAY. 

By  T.  W.  CORBIN. 

9.  PHOTOGRAPHY  OF  To-DAY. 

By  H.  CHAPMAN  JONBS,  F.I.C.,  F.C.S.,  F.R.P.S. 
I  O.    SUBMARIHE  ENGINEERING  OF  To-DAY. 
By  C.  W.  DOMVILLB-FIFE. 

11.  GEOLOGY  OF  TO-DAY. 

By  PROFESSOR  J.  W.  GREGORY,  p. M.S. 

12.  AIRCRAFT  or  TO-DAT. 

By  CHARLES  C.  TURNER,  Lieut.,  R.N.V.R. 
SEELEY,  SERVICE  &  Co.,  LTD.,  38  Great  Russell  St. 


DeDfcateD 

TO   THE    MEMORY   OF 

THE  LATE  LIEUT.  WALTER  PRICE,  R.N.V.R. 

A    TRUE    FRIEND    AND    A 
GALLANT   OFFICER 


AUTHOR'S   NOTE 

I  DESIRE  simply  to  say  that  I  commenced  taking 
an  active  interest  in  submarines  in  1904.  I  wrote 
my  first  book  on  the  subject,  Submarines  of  the 
World's  Navies,  in  1910,  and  I  have  watched  and 
written  of  the  rise  of  these  and  kindred  weapons 
for  the  past  fifteen  years  of  rapid  development  in 
peace  and  war,  finally  taking  a  humble  part  in 
the  defeat  of  the  great  German  submarine  armada 

during  the  years  1914-1918. 

C.  D.-F. 

1919. 


INTRODUCTION 

WHILE  Great  Britain  remains  an  island,  with 
dominion  over  palm  and  pine,  it  is  to  the  sea  that 
her  four  hundred  millions  of  people  must  look  for 
the  key  to  all  that  has  been  achieved  in  the  past 
and  all  that  the  future  promises  in  the  quickening 
dawn  of  a  new  era. 

Not  only  over  Great  Britain  alone,  however,  does 
the  ocean  cast  its  spell,  for  it  is  the  free  highway  of 
the  world,  sailed  by  the  ships  of  all  nations,  with- 
out other  hindrances  than  those  of  stormy  nature, 
arid  navigated  without  restriction  from  pole  to 
pole  by  the  seamen  of  all  races.  It  was  the 
international  meeting-place,  where  ensigns  were 
"  dipped  "  in  friendly  greeting,  and  since  the  dawn 
of  history  there  has  been  a  freemasonry  of  the 
sea  which  knew  no  distinction  of  nation  or 
creed. 

When  the  call  of  humanity  boomed  across  the 
dark,  storm-tossed  waters  the  answer  came  readily 
from  beneath  whatever  flag  the  sound  was  heard. 
But  in  August,  1914,  there  came  a  change,  so 
dramatic,  so  sudden,  that  maritime  nations  were 
stunned.  Germany,  in  an  excess  of  war  fever, 
broke  the  sea  laws,  and  laughed  while  women  and 
children  drowned.  Crime  followed  crime,  and  the 
great  voice  of  the  Republican  West  protested  in 

9 


Introduction 

unison  with  that  of  the  Imperial  East.  Still  the 
Black  Eagle  laughed  as  it  flew  far  and  wide,  carry- 
ing death  to  whomsoever  came  within  its  shadow, 
regardless  of  race  and  sex. 

But  there  was  an  avenger  upon  the  seas,  one 
who  had  been  rocked  in  its  cradle  from  time  im- 
memorial, and  to  whom  the  world  appealed  to  save 
the  lives  of  their  seamen.  It  sailed  beneath  the 
White  Ensign  and  the  Blue,  and  with  aid  from 
France,  Italy  and  Japan  it  fought  by  day  and  by 
night,  in  winter  gale  and  snow,  and  in  summer  heat 
and  fog,  in  torrid  zone  and  regions  of  perpetual  ice 
to  free  the  seas  of  the  traitorous  monster  who  had, 
in  the  twentieth  century,  hoisted  the  black  flag  of 
piracy  and  murder.  For  three  years  this  ceaseless 
war  was  waged,  and  then,  with  her  wonderful 
patience  exhausted,  the  great  sister  nation  of  the 
mother  tongue  joined  her  fleets  and  armies  with 
those  of  the  battle-worn  Allies  and  peace  came  to 
a  long-suffering  world. 

In  that  abyss  of  war  there  was  romance  sufficient 
for  many  generations  of  novelists  and  historians. 
Many  were  the  epic  fights,  unimportant  in  them- 
selves, but  which  need  only  a  Kingsley  or  a  Steven- 
son to  make  them  famous  for  all  time.  So  with 
the  happenings  to  be  described  in  this  book,  many 
of  them  historically  unimportant  compared  with 
the  epoch-making  events  of  which  they  formed  a 
decimal  part,  but  told  in  plain  words  ;  just  records 
of  romance  on  England's  sea  frontier  in  the  years 
1914-1918. 

Although  jealous  of  any  encroachment  on  the 

10 


Introduction 

space  available  for  the  description  of  guerrilla  war 
at  sea,  there  are  many  things  which  must  first  be 
said  regarding  the  organisation  and  training  of 
what  may  appropriately  be  termed  the  "  New 
Navy/'  which  took  the  sea  to  combat  the  sub- 
marine and  the  mine  ;  also  of  the  novel  weapons 
devised  amid  the  whirl  of  war  for  their  use,  pro- 
tection and  offensive  power.  Into  this  brief 
recital  of  the  events  leading  to  the  real  thing  an 
endeavour  will  be  made  to  infuse  the  life  and  local 
colour,  which,  however,  would  be  more  appropri- 
ate in  a  personal  narrative  than  in  a  general 
description  of  anti-submarine  warfare  of  to-day, 
but  without  which  much  that  is  essential  could  not 
be  written  without  dire  risk  of  tiring  the  reader 
before  the  first  few  chapters  had  been  passed. 

The  names  of  places  and  ships  have  necessarily 
been  changed  to  avoid  anything  of  a  personal 
character,  and  all  references  to  existing  or  dead 
officers  and  men  have  been  rigidly  excluded  as 
objectionable  and  unnecessary  in  a  book  dealing 
entirely  with  events. 

Many  of  the  incidents  described— written  while 
the  events  stood  out  in  clear,  mental  perspective — 
could  no  doubt  be  duplicated  and  easily  surpassed 
by  many  whose  fortunes  took  them  into  zones  of 
sea  war  during  the  historic  years  just  past.  If 
such  is  found  to  be  the  case,  then  the  object  of  this 
book  has  been  accomplished,  for  it  sets  out  to  tell, 
not  of  great  epoch-making  events,  but  of  the 
organisation,  men,  ships,  weapons  and  ordinary 
incidents  of  life  in  what,  for  lack  of  a  better  term, 


Introduction 

has  been  called  the  "  New  Navy  " — a  production 
of  the  World  War. 

It  may  be  that  an  apology  is  due  for  placing  yet 
another  war  book  before  a  war-weary  public,  but 
an  effort  has  been  made  to  make  of  the  following 
chapters  a  record  of  British  maritime  achievement, 
more  than  a  narrative  of  sea  fighting,  although  to 
do  this  without  introducing  the  human  element, 
the  arduous  nature  of  the  work,  the  monotony,  the 
danger  and,  finally,  the  compensating  moments  of 
excitement  would  have  been  to  falsify  the  account 
and  belittle  the  achievement. 

There  are  many  books  available,  full  of  exciting 
stories  of  sea  and  land  war,  but  no  other,  so  far  as 
the  Author  knows,  which  describes  in  detail  and  in 
plain  phraseology  those  important  "  little  things  " 
— liable  to  be  overlooked  amid  the  whirl  of  war — 
which  go  to  make  an  anti-submarine  personnel, 
fleet  and  base,  together  with  an  account  of  "  how 
it  was  done/' 


12 


CONTENTS 

HAPTER  PAGE 

I.  THE  TASK  OF  THE  ALLIED  NAVIES  .       17 

II.  THE    NEW    NAVY — TRAINING    AN    ANTI- 
SUBMARINE FORCE       .  .  -36 

III.  A  NAVAL  UNIVERSITY  IN  TIME  OF  WAR  .      47 

IV.  THE  NEW  FLEETS  IN  BEING         .  .      50 
\      :  V.  THE  HYDROPHONE  AND  THE  DEPTH  CHARGE      70 

VI.  SOME   CURIOUS   WEAPONS   OF   ANTI-SUB- 
MARINE WARFARE        .            .  85 
VII.  MYSTERY  SHIPS     .            .            .            .96 
VIII.  A  TYPICAL  WAR  BASE      .            .            .  102 
IX.  THE  CONVOY  SYSTEM        .            .            .116 
V    X.  THE  MYSTERIES  OF  SUBMARINE  HUNTING 

EXPLAINED      ....  126 
XI.  THE  MYSTERIES  OF  GERMAN  MINE-LAYING 

EXPLAINED      .            .            .            .  143 
XII.  THE  MYSTERIES  OF  MINESWEEPING  EX- 
PLAINED          ....  157 

XIII.  THE  MINE  BARRAGE         .            .            .  179 

XIV.  OFF  TO  THE  ZONES  OF  WAR         .            .  187 
XV.  A  MEMORABLE  CHRISTMAS             .            .  192 

XVI.  THE  DERELICT      . .          .  .  .202 

XVII.  MINED-IN  .  .  .  ..  .209 

XVIII.  THE  CASUALTY  .  .     220 


Contefits 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XIX.  How  H.M.  TRAWLER  No.  6  LOST  HER  REFIT    226 

XX.  THE  RAIDER          .  .  .  .233 

XXI.  THE  S.O.S.  ....     238 

XXII.  IN  THE  SHADOW  OF  A  BIG  SEA  FIGHT     .     248 

XXIII.  A  NIGHT  ATTACK  .  .  .  .258 

XXIV.  MYSTERIES  OF  THE  GREAT  SEA  WASTES  .     264 
XXV.  FROM  OUT  THE  CLOUDS  AND  THE  UNDER- 

SEAS     .....     273 

XXVI.  ON  THE  SEA  FLANK  OF  THE  ALLIED  ARMIES    286 

INDEX        .....     301 


List  of  Illustrations 


SURRENDER  OF  THE  GERMAN  SUBMARINE  FLEET      Frontispiece 


FACING 
PAGE 


PLAN  OF  A  55  FEET  COASTAL  MOTOR  BOAT         .  .16 

LARGE  HEAVILY  ARMED  GERMAN  SUBMARINE      .  .       32 

MOTOR  LAUNCH  HULLS  BEING  CONSTRUCTED       .  .56 

A  40  FEET  COASTAL  MOTOR  BOAT  AT  FULL  SPEED  .      64 

ANOTHER  VIEW  OF  THE  SAME  BOAT  AT  FULL  SPEED  .       64 

DROPPING  DEPTH  CHARGES           .            .            .  .80 

INNOCENT-LOOKING  BUT  DEADLY   .            .            .  .96 

HIDDEN  TORPEDO  TUBES  OF  H.M.S.  HYDERABAD  .       96 

AFTER-DECK  OF  THE  HYDERABAD  (BEFORE  ACTION)  .     104 
AFTER-DECK  OF  THE  HYDERABAD  (PREPARED  FOR  ACTION)     104 
MOCK  WHEEL  AND  COMPASS  PEDESTAL  OF  THE  HYDERABAD     112 
MOCK  WHEEL  AND  COMPASS  PEDESTAL  OF  THE  HYDERABAD 

(COLLAPSED)     .            .            .            .            .  .112 

MOTOR  LAUNCH  CLEARED  FOR  ACTION     .            .  .120 

A  WRECKED  COASTAL  MOTOR  BOAT         .            .  .136 

CAPTIVE  MINE- LAYING  SUBMARINE            .            .  -144 

A  MINESWEEPER     .            .             .            .            .  .160 

A  PARAVANE           .            .            .            .            .  .176 

MORSE  SIGNALLING             .            .            .            .  .184 

MOTOR  LAUNCH  OF  THE  NAVAL  PATROL  .            .  .     216 

A  MONITOR            .            .            .            .            .  .     280 


SUBMARINE  WARFARE 
OF  TO-DAY 

CHAPTER  I 
THE  TASK  OF  THE  ALLIED  NAVIES 

THE  hour  was  that  of  the  Allies'  greatest  need— 
the  last  months  of  the  year  1914.  On  that  fateful 
4th  August  the  British  navy  was  concentrated  in 
the  North  Sea,  and  the  chance  for  a  surprise 'attack 
by  the  German  fleet,  or  an  invasion  of  England  by 
the  Kaiser's  armies,  vanished  for  ever,  and  with 
this  one  chance  went  also  all  reasonable  possibility 
of  a  crushing  German  victory. 

Although  during  the  years  of  bitter  warfare 
which  followed  this  silent  coup  de  main  the 
German  fleet  many  times  showed  signs  of  awaken- 
ing ambition,  it  did  not,  after  Jutland,  dare  to 
thrust  even  its  vanguard  far  into  the  open  sea. 
Behind  its  forts,  mines  and  submarines  it  waited, 
growing  weaker  with  the  dry-rot  of  inaction,  for 
the  chance  that  fickle  Fortune  might  place  a  single 
unit  of  the  Allied  fleet  within  easy  reach  of  its 
whole  mailed-fist. 

With   a  great   and  modern   fleet — the  second 

strongest  in  the  world — awaiting  its  chance  less 

than  twenty  hours'  steam  from  the  coast  of  Great 

Britain,  it  quickly  became  evident  that  the  old 

B  17 


The  Task  of  the  Allied  Navies 

Mistress  of  the  Seas  would  have  to  call  upon  her 
islanders  to  supply  a  "  new  navy  "  to  scour  the 
oceans  while  her  main  battle  squadrons  waited 
and  watched  for  the  second  Trafalgar. 

Faced,  then,  with  the  problem  of  a  long  block- 
ade, a  powerful  fleet  in  readiness  to  strike  at  any 
weak  or  unduly  exposed  point  of  land  or  squadron, 
and  with  similar  problems  on  a  decreasing  scale 
imposed  by  Austria  in  the  Adriatic  and  by  Turkey 
behind  the  Dardanelles,  the  work  of  the  main 
battle  fleets  became  well  defined  by  the  commonest 
laws  of  naval  strategy. 

All  this  without  taking  into  account  the  wide- 
spread menace  of  submarines  and  mines,  and,  in 
the  earlier  stages  of  the  war,  the  rounding-up  of 
detached  enemy  squadrons,  such  as  that  under 
Von  Spee  in  South  American  waters,  and  the 
protection  of  the  transport  and  food  ships  from 
raiders  like  the  Wolfe  and  the  Moewe. 

The  German  High  Command  realised  this  as 
quickly  as  that  of  the  Allies.  Their  oversea  com- 
merce was  strangled  within  a  few  days  of  the 
Declaration  of  War  with  Great  Britain,  and  their 
fleet  was  confined  to  harbour,  with  the  exception 
of  occasional  operations  against  Russia  in  the 
Baltic.  From  the  German  standpoint  the  naval 
problem  resolved  itself  into  one  of  how  best  to 
strike  at  the  lines  of  communication  of  the  Allies, 
paying  special  attention,  first,  to  the  transport  of 
troops,  and,  second,  to  England's  food  supply.  As 
they  alone  knew  to  what  extent  they  would  violate 
the  laws  of  war  and  of  humanity,  it  became  appar- 

18 


The  Task  of  the  Allied  Navies 

ent  that  the  submarine  and  the  mine  were  the  onjy 
possible  weapons  which  could  be  used  for  this 
purpose  in  face  of  the  superior  fleets  of  the  Allies. 
But  the  number  of  these  weapons  was  strictly 
limited  compared  with  the  immense  shipping  re- 
sources at  the  command  of  the  Western  Powers, 
so  one  submarine  must  do  the  work  of  many,  and 
an  effort  was  made  to  accomplish  this  by  a  reign 
of  sea  terrorism  and  inhuman  conduct  unparalleled 
in  the  history  of  the  world.  It  opened  with  the 
sinking  of  the  Lusitania. 

The  Allies  had  secured  and  maintained  the  com- 
mand of  the  sea,  and  all  that  it  implies,  but  to  do 
this  with  the  certainty  of  correct  strategy  they 
had  to  dedicate  almost  their  entire  battle  fleet  to 
the  purpose  for  which  battle  fleets  have  always 
been  intended — the  checkmating  or  annihilation 
of  the  opposing  navy. 

There  came  a  second  problem,  however,  one 
entirely  new  to  sea  warfare,  and  unconsidered  or 
provided  against  in  its  strategic  and  tactical  en- 
tirety because  hitherto  deemed  too  inhuman  for 
modern  war.  This  was  the  ruthless  use  of  armed 
submarines  against  unarmed  passenger  and 
merchant  ships,  and  the  scattering  broadcast  over 
the  seas,  regardless  of  the  lives  and  property  of 
neutrals,  of  thousands  of  explosive  mines. 

The  type  of  ship  constructed  exclusively  for 
open  sea  warfare  against  surface  adversaries  was 
not  the  best  answer  to  the  submarine.  The  block- 
ading of  the  hostile  surface  fleet  did  not  prevent,  or 
even  greatly  hinder,  the  free  passage  of  submarine 


The  Task  of  the  Allied  Navies 

flotillas,  and  the  building  by  Germany  of  under- 
water mine-layers  enabled  fields  of  these  weapons 
to  be  laid  anywhere  within  the  carrier's  radius  of 
action. 

In  this  way  the  second,  or  submarine,  phase  of 
the  naval  war  opened,  and  it  was  to  supplement 
the  comparatively  few  fast  destroyers  and  other 
suitable  ships  which  could  be  spared  from  the 
main  fleets  that  the  "  new  navy  "  was  formed. 


THE  SHIPS 

The  area  of  the  North  Sea  alone  exceeds  140,000 
square  miles,  and  when  the  whole  vast  stretch  of 
water  encompassed  by  what  was  known  as  the 
radius  of  action  of  hostile  submarines,  from  their 
bases  on  the  German,  Belgian,  Austrian,  Turkish 
and  Bulgarian  coasts,  had  to  be  considered  as 
a  possible  zone  of  operations  for  German  and 
Austrian  under-water  flotillas,  much  of  the  water 
surface  of  the  world  was  included.  Likewise  the 
network  of  sea  communications  on  which  the 
Allies  depended  for  the  maintenance  of  essential 
transport  and  communication  comprised  the  path- 
ways of  the  seven  seas.  To  patrol  all  these  routes 
adequately,  and  to  guard  the  food  and  troop  ships, 
hastening  in  large  numbers  to  the  aid  of  the 
Motherland  from  the  most  distant  corners  of  the 
earth  ;  to  protect  the  1500  miles  sea  frontier  of 
the  British  Isles  ;  to  give  timely  aid  to  sinking  or 
hard-pressed  units  of  the  mercantile  fleet ;  to 

20 


The  Task  of  the  Allied  Navies 

hound  the  submarine  from  the  underseas  and  to 
sweep  clear,  almost  weekly,  several  thousand 
square  miles  of  sea,  from  Belle  Isle  to  Cape  Town 
and  the  Orkneys  to  Colombo,  required  ships,  not 
in  tens,  but  in  thousands.  To  find  these  in  an  in- 
credibly short  space  of  time  became  the  primary 
naval  need  of  the  moment. 

Who  that  lived  through  those  days  will  forget 
the  struggle  to  supply  ships  and  guns  ?  The 
searching  of  every  harbour  for  craft,  from  motor 
boats  to  old-time  sailing-ships,  and  from  fishing 
craft  to  liners.  The  scouring  of  the  Dominions 
and  Colonies.  How  blessed  was  their  aid  !  Help, 
generous  and  spontaneous,  came  from  all  quarters, 
including  the  most  unexpected.  Over  five 
hundred  fast  patrol  boats,  or  motor  launches,  in 
less  than  twelve  months  from  Canada  and  America. 
Guns  from  Japan.  Coasting  steamers  from  India, 
Australia,  New  Zealand  and  South  Africa.  Sea- 
planes from  the  Crown  Colonies.  Rifles  from 
Canada.  Machine  guns  from  the  United  States. 
Ambulances  from  English  and  Colonial  women's 
leagues.  In  fact,  contributions  to  the  "  new 
navy  "  from  all  corners  of  the  earth. 

To  patrol  the  coasts  of  Britain  alone,  and  to  keep 
its  harbours  and  coastal  trade  routes  clear  of 
mines,  needed  over  3500  ships,  with  at  least  an 
equal  number  of  guns,  30,000  rifles  and  revolvers, 
and  millions  of  shells. 

In  addition  to  this  huge  fleet  other  smaller 
squadrons  were  required  for  the  Mediterranean, 
the  Suez  Canal  and  Red  Sea,  the  East  and  West 

21 


The  Task  of  the  Allied  Navies 

Indies,  the  coasts  of  the  Dominions  and  Colonies, 
and  for  the  Russian  lines  of  communication  in  the 
White  Sea.  For  these  oversea  bases  just  under 
1000  ships  were  required,  exclusive  of  those  locally 
supplied  by  the  Dominions  and  Colonies  them- 
selves. 

All  this  without  considering  the  main  battle 
fleets  or,  in  fact,  any  portion  of  the  regular  navy, 
and  the  ships  required  for  the  transport  of  food, 
troops  and  munitions  of  war,  together  with  their 
escorts.  Some  idea  of  the  numbers  engaged  in 
keeping  the  Allies  supplied  with  the  diverse 
necessities  of  life  and  war  may  be  gathered  from 
the  fact  that  the  average  sailings  in  and  out  of 
the  harbours  of  the  United  Kingdom  alone  dur- 
ing the  four  years  of  war  amounted  to  over  1200 
a  week. 

The  immense  fleet  forming  the  new  navy  was 
not  homogeneous  in  design,  power,  appearance  or, 
in  fact,  in  anything  except  the  spirit  of  the  per- 
sonnel and  the  flag  beneath  which  they  fought — 
and  alas  !  nearly  4000  died.  The  squadrons,  or 
units,  as  they  were  called,  consisted  of  fine  steam 
yachts,  liners  from  the  ocean  trade  routes,  sturdy 
sea  tramps,  deep-sea  trawlers,  oilers,  colliers, 
drifters,  paddle  steamers,  and  the  more  uniform 
and  specially  built  fighting  sloops,  whalers,  motor 
launches  and  coastal  motor  boats.  The  latter 
type  of  craft  was  aided  by  its  great  speed,  nearly 
fifty  miles  an  hour  ;  but  more  about  these  ships 
and  their  curious  armament  later. 


22 


The  Task  of  the  Allied  Navies 

WAR  BASES 

The  great  auxiliary  navy  had  to  be  built  or 
obtained  without  depleting  the  ordinary  mercan- 
tile fleets,  and  the  shipbuilding  and  repairing  yards, 
even  in  the  smallest  sea  and  river  ports,  worked 
day  and  night.  The  triumph  was  as  wonderful  as 
it  was  speedy.  In  less  than  fifteen  months  from 
August,  1914,  the  new  navy  was  a  gigantic  force, 
and  its  operations  extended  from  the  Arctic  Sea 
to  the  Equator.  All  units  were  armed,  manned 
and  linked  up  by  wireless  and  a  common  cause. 

Before  this  could  be  accomplished,  however, 
the  problem  of  maintaining  this  vast  fleet  and 
adequately  controlling  its  operations  had  to  be 
faced  and  overcome.  The  seas  adjacent  to  the 
coasts  of  the  United  Kingdom,  the  Mediterranean 
Littoral  and  Colonial  waters  were  divided  into 
"  patrol  areas  "  on  special  secret  charts,  and  each 
"  area  "  had  its  own  naval  base,  with  harbour, 
stores,  repairing  and  docking  facilities,  intelli- 
gence centre,  wireless  and  signal  stations,  reserve 
of  officers  and  men,  social  headquarters,  work- 
shops and  medical  department. 

Each  base  was  under  the  command  of  an 
admiral  and  staff,  many  of  the  former  returning 
to  duty,  after  several  years  of  well-earned  rest,  as 
captains  and  commodores,  with  salaries  commen- 
surate with  their  reduced  rank.  Their  staffs  con- 
sisted of  some  six  to  twelve  officers  of  the  new 
navy,  with  possibly  one  or  two  from  the  "  pukka 
service/'  and  their  command  often  extended  over 

23 


The  Task  of  the  Allied  Navies 

many  hundreds  of  square  miles  of  submarine  and 
mine  infested  sea. 

Of  these  bases,  which  will  be  fully  described  in 
later  chapters,  there  were  about  fifty,  excluding 
the  great  dockyards  and  fleet  headquarters,  but 
inclusive  of  those  situated  overseas.  When  it  is 
considered  what  a  war  base  needs  to  make  it  an 
efficient  rendezvous  for  some  hundreds  of  ships 
and  thousands  of  men,  some  idea  of  the  gigantic 
task  of  organisation  which  their  establishment, 
often  in  poorly  equipped  harbours  and  distant 
islands,  required,  not  only  in  the  first  instance,  but 
also  with  regard  to  maintenance  and  supplies,  will 
be  realised,  perhaps,  however,  more  fully  when  it 
is  stated  that  the  average  ship  needs  a  month  spent 
in  docking  and  overhauling  at  least  once  a  year, 
and  that  the  delicate  and  more  speedy  units  of 
such  a  fleet  need  nearly  four  times  that  amount  of 
attention. 

HEADQUARTERS  STAFF 

One  of  the  first  requisites  of  the  auxiliary  navy 
was  the  creation  of  a  headquarters  staff  at  the 
Admiralty,  London.  This  was  formed  from  naval 
officers  of  experience  both  in  the  regular  service 
and  in  the  two  reserves  (R.N.R.  and  R.N.V.R.). 

Forming  an  integral  part  of  the  great  British  or 
Allied  armada,  all  operations  were  under  the  con- 
trol of  the  Naval  War  Staff,  but  for  purposes  of 
more  detailed  organisation  and  administration 
additional  departments  were  created  which  exer- 
cised direct  jurisdiction  over  their  respective  fleets. 

24 


The  Task  of  the  Allied  Navies 

The  principal  of  these  was  known  as  the  "  Auxili- 
ary Patrol  Office/'  under  the  Fourth  Sea  Lord  and 
the  Department  of  the  Director  of  Mines  weeping. 
These  formed  a  part  of  the  General  Staff— if  a 
military  term  is  permissible — and  both  issued 
official  publications  periodically  throughout  the 
war,  which  served  to  keep  the  staffs  of  all  the 
different  war  bases  and  the  commanding  officers 
of  the  thousands  of  ships  informed  as  to  current 
movements  and  ruses  of  the  enemy. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  detail  more  closely  the  work 
of  these  departments,  especially  as  much  has  yet 
to  be  said  before  plunging  into  the  maelstrom 
of  war.  A  sufficient  indication  of  the  colossal 
nature  of  the  work  they  were  called  upon  to  per- 
form will  be  found  in  a  moment's  reflection  of 
what  the  administration  and  control  of  such  a 
large  and  nondescript  fleet,  spread  over  the  world 
— from  the  White  Sea  to  the  East  Indies — must 
have  meant  to  the  small  staff  allowed  by  the 
exigencies  of  an  unparalleled  war. 

OFFICERS  AND  MEN 

The  greatest  problem  in  modern  naval  war  is, 
undoubtedly,  the  supply  of  trained  men.  For 
this  reason  it  has  been  left  to  the  last  to  describe 
how  the  difficulty  was  faced  and  overcome  by 
England  and  her  oversea  Dominions  in  1914. 

Before  doing  so,  however,  it  may  be  ojf  interest 
to  give  here  a  few  extracts  from  an  excellent  little 
official  publication,  showing  how  the  British  fleet 

25 


The  Task  of  the  Allied  Navies 

was  manned  and  expanded  in  bygone  days  of 
national  peril 1 : 

"  In  time  of  war  there  has  always  been  an  inti- 
mate connection  between  the  Royal  Navy  and  the 
Merchant  Service.  Latterly,  and  more  especially 
since  the  Russian  War  of  1854  to  1856,  this  fact 
tended  to  be  forgotten,  partly  because  men-of-war 
developed  on  particular  lines  and  became  far  more 
unlike  merchantmen  than  they  had  ever  been 
before,  and  also  because,  by  the  introduction  of 
continuous  service,  the  personnel  of  the  Navy 
seemed  to  have  developed  into  a  separate  caste, 
distinguished  by  its  associations,  traditions  and 
esprit  de  corps,  as  much  by  its  special  training  and 
qualifications,  from  other  seafaring  men.  This 
war  has  proved  once  again,  to  such  as  needed  proof, 
that  the  two  services  cannot  exist  without  each 
other,  and  that  the  Sea  Power  of  the  Empire  is  not 
its  naval  strength  alone,  but  its  maritime  strength. 
Even  at  the  risk  of  insisting  on  the  obvious,  it  is 
necessary  to  repeat  that,  for  an  Island  Empire,  a 
war  at  sea  cannot  be  won  merely  by  the  naval 
action  which  defeats  the  enemy  ;  naval  successes 
are  of  value  for  the  fruit  they  bear,  the  chief  of 
which  is  the  power  that  they  give  to  the  victor  to 
maintain  his  own  sea-borne  trade  and  to  interrupt 
that  of  the  enemy. 

"  An  elementary  way  of  looking  at  the  problems 
of  manning  the  Royal  Navy  and  the  Merchant 

1  Extract  from  Naval  Demobilisation — issued  by  the  Ministry  of 
Reconstruction, 

26 


The  Task  of  the  Allied  Navies 

Service  is  to  consider  that  there  is  in  the  country  a 
common  stock  of  seamen,  on  which  both  can  draw. 
But  this  theory,  like  many  others  equally  obvious 
and  tempting,  has  the  disadvantage  that  it  leaves 
important  factors  out  of  account  and,  if  worked 
out,  results  in  an  absurdity.  Thus,  shortly  before 
war  began  there  were  in  the  country  some  420,000 
seamen,  of  whom  one-third  were  in  the  Navy  and 
two-thirds  engaged  in  merchant  ships  and  fishing 
vessels.  There  was  no  considerable  body  of  un- 
employed seamen.  During  the  war  the  personnel 
of  the  Navy  was  expanded  to  something  like  the 
420,000  which  represents  the  common  stock  of  sea- 
men. Therefore,  if  the  theory  met  the  case,  there 
would  have  been  no  men  left  for  the  Merchant 
Service.  But  the  merchant  ships,  in  spite  of 
difficulty  and  danger,  continued  to  run,  employing 
great  numbers  of  men.  And  we  must  not  forget 
to  take  into  account  the  number  of  men,  amount- 
ing to  48,000  killed  and  4500  prisoners  of  war,  who 
have  been  lost  in  the  two  services  during  the  war. 
So  it  comes  to  this,  that  the  common  stock  of  sea- 
men, or  at  least  of  men  fit  to  man  ships,  has  ex- 
panded during  the  war  by  more  than  50  per  cent. 
Whence  came  these  extra  men  ?  Clearly  for  the 
most  part  from  the  non-seafaring  classes. 

"  The  Navy  in  November,  1918,  employed  some 
80,000  officers  and  men  from  the  Merchant  Service 
— viz.  20,000  R.N.R.  ratings,  36,000  Trawler 
Reserve,  and  20,000  mercantile  seamen  and  fire- 
men on  Transport  agreements,  plus  the  officers. 
If  the  supposition,  made  in  the  absence  of  statistics, 

27 


The  Task  of  the  Allied  Navies 

is  correct  that  at  this  time  the  number  of  men  in 
the  Merchant  Service  itself  had  decreased  propor- 
tionately to  the  loss  of  tonnage,  it  would  seem  that 
the  Merchant  Service  needed  no  considerable  in- 
flow of  men  during  the  war.  In  other  words,  most 
of  those  added  to  the  stock  of  seamen  during  the 
war  must  have  gone  into  the  Navy.  This  corre- 
sponds with  known  fact  :  the  Navy  has,  in  addition 
to  the  Reserve  men  already  mentioned,  nearly 
200,000  men  to  demobilise  in  order  to  put  its  per- 
sonnel on  the  footing  on  which  it  stood  when  war 
broke  out. 

"  It  will  be  of  interest  to  see  how  the  personnel 
of  the  Navy  expanded  in  former  wars,  and  how  at 
the  peace  it  was  invariably  reduced  to  something 
like  its  pre-war  figures.  This  can  readily  be  done 
in  tabular  form  : 

NAVAL  PERSONNEL  (Numbers  Voted] 

c  ,TT  T,  f       „,.  Maximum         After  the 

Year  Name  of  War  Before  War        during  War 


League  of  Augsburg  40,000  — 

7,000 

1700  }  7,000 

1712  ppanish  Succession  40,000 

1713;  10,000 

IO'OO° 


1754  1  10,000 

1762  [Seven  Years'  War  70,000 

1764  J  16,000 

28 


The  Task  of  the  Allied  Navies 


,r 
Year 


NAVAL  PERSONNEL  (Numbers  Voted] 

Maximum         After  the 


-VT  r  ,»T 

Name  of  War 


French 
Revolution 


1803    1 

1812  ^Napoleonic  War 
1817; 


Before  War 
l8,OOO 

l6,OOO 
50,000 


during  War          Peace 


'35,<>oo 


145,000 


1856  rRussian  War 

1857  J 


Present  War 


45*500 

76,000 


450,000 


19,000 


53»ooo 


"  It  appears  at  once  from  these  figures  that  the 
naval  expansion  during  earlier  wars  was  in  most 
cases  much  greater  proportionately  than  it  has  been 
in  this.  Roughly  the  personnel  in  this  war  has 
been  multiplied  by  three  ;  in  earlier  wars  it  was 
increased  six,  seven,  eight,  or  even  nine  fold,  if  we 
take  the  difference  between  the  figures  for  1792 
and  1812. 

"It  is  a  common  error  to  suppose  that  our  ships 
in  the  old  wars  were  manned  entirely  by  seamen. 
A  knowledge  of  how  the  men  were  raised  shows 
that  this  cannot  have  been  so  ;  and  confirmation 
can  be  had  from  a  very  brief  study  of  ships'  muster 
books.  Only  about  a  third  of  the  crew  of  a  line-of- 

29 


The  Task  of  the  Allied  Navies 

battle  ship  were,  in  the  seaman's  phrase,  '  prime 
seamen/  The  rest  were  either  only  partly  trained 
or  were  frankly  not  sailormen.  The  Victory  at 
Trafalgar  was  not  an  ill -manned  ship— here  is  an 
analysis  of  her  crew  :  officers,  commissioned  and 
warrant,  28 ;  petty  officers,  including  marines, 
63 ;  able  seamen,  213  ;  ordinary  seamen  and 
boys,  225  ;  landsmen,  86 ;  marines,  137  ;  artificers, 
18  ;  quarter  gunners,  12  ;  supernumeraries  and 
domestics,  37. 

"  During  the  whole  of  our  naval  history  down  to 
1815  it  was  the  invariable  rule  that  in  peace  time 
the  battle  fleets  were  laid  up  unmanned,  and  only 
enough  ships  were  kept  in  commission  to  '  show 
the  flag  '  and  to  police  the  sea.  This  accounts  for 
the  very  large  increase  of  the  naval  personnel 
which  immediately  became  necessary  when  there 
was  a  threat  of  war  ;  and  it  accounts  also  for 
the  difficulty  which  was  always  experienced  in 
raising  the  men.  This  difficulty  was  even  greater 
than  we  are  apt  to  suppose,  for  the  Merchant 
Service  has  never  been  able  to  give  the  navy  more 
than  a  fraction  of  the  total  number  of  men 
needed,  and  the  machinery  for  raising  extra  men 
has,  until  this  war,  always  been  of  a  most  primi- 
tive nature. 

"  When  war  came  the  ships  were  commissioned, 
without  crews.  This  could  be  done  because  from 
the  latter  part  of  the  seventeenth  century  there  was 
a  permanent  force  of  officers.  Then  the  officers 
had  to  find  their  own  crews.  They  began  by  draw- 
ing their  proportion  of  marines,  and  then  proceeded 

30 


The  Task  of  the  Allied  Navies 

to  invite  seamen  to  volunteer.  In  this  way  they 
got  a  number  of  skilled  seamen,  men  who  had  been 
in  the  navy  before,  and  came  back  to  it  either  as 
petty  officers  or  in  the  hope  of  becoming  so.  Then 
warrants  to  impress  seamen  would  be  issued. 
Theoretically  the  impress  was  merely  a  form  of 
conscription,  the  Crown  claiming  by  prerogative 
the  right  to  the  services  of  its  seafaring  subjects. 
Practically  a  good  deal  of  violence  was  at  times 
necessary,  as  many  of  the  men,  preferring  to  sail  in 
merchant  ships,  or  wishing  to  wait  for  a  proclama- 
tion of  bounty,  tried  to  avoid  arrest.  The  scuffles 
that  took  place  on  these  occasions  gave  the  impress 
service  a  bad  name,  not  altogether  deserved,  for 
real  efforts  were  made  to  avoid  hardship,  and  in 
any  case  the  number  of  men  raised  in  this  way 
was  greatly  exaggerated  by  popular  report/' 

There  was  no  compulsion  during  the  Great  War 
to  join  any  unit  of  the  British  fleet.  Therefore 
all  were  either  in  the  regular  service,  reservists 
or  volunteers.  The  need  was  made  known  not 
only  throughout  the  British  Isles,  but  also  from 
Vancouver  to  Cape  Town,  Sydney  and  Wellington, 
and  men  in  all  walks  of  life,  but  with  either  the 
Wander-Lust  or  true  love  of  the  wide  open  sea  in 
their  blood,  rallied  from  all  parts  of  the  far-flung 
Empire  to  the  call  of  the  White  Ensign. 

In  order  to  obtain  some  6000  officers  and  nearly 
200,000  trained  or  semi-trained  men,  new  sources 
of  supply  had  to  be  tapped.  Already  the  great 
battle  fleets,  brought  up  to  full  war  strength  and 


The  Task  of  the  Allied  Navies 

with  adequate  reserves,  had  absorbed  nearly  all 
the  Reserve  officers  who  could  be  spared  from  the 
food  and  troop  transports.1 

First  came  the  great  sea-training  establishment 
of  the  Empire — the  Mercantile  Marine  and  its 
retired  officers  and  men — already  heavily  depleted. 
Then  the  yacht  clubs  from  the  Fraser  to  the 
Thames  and  Clyde.  Thousands  of  professionals 
and  amateurs  came  overseas  to  the  training 
cruisers  and  the  "  naval  university/'  Canada  alone 
supplying  several  hundred  officers. 

Doctors  came  from  the  hospitals  and  from 
lucrative  private  practices.  The  engineering  pro- 
fessions and  trades  supplied  the  technical  staffs 
and  skilled  mechanics.  The  great  banks  and  city 
offices  yielded  the  accountants,  and  the  fishing  and 
pleasure-boating  communities,  not  only  of  Great 
Britain,  but  also  of  the  Dominions  and  Colonies, 
yielded  the  men  in  tens  of  thousands.  In  this  way 
the  personnel  of  the  new  navy  was  completed  in  a 
very  few  months. 

Before  passing  on  to  describe,  in  the  detail  of 
personal  acquaintance,  the  severe  training  of  this 
naval  force,  a  general  knowledge  of  its  hetero- 
geneous character  is  necessary  to  enable  the  reader 
to  understand  this  great  assemblage  of  the  sons  of 
the  Empire. 

In  the  smoke-filled  wardroom  and  gunroom 
of  the  training  cruiser,  H.M.S.  Hermione  one 

1  The  personnel  of  the  new  navy  consisted  of  R.N.,  R.N.R.  and 
R.N.V.R.  officers.  The  former  came  mostly  from  the  retired  list. 
The  R.N.R.  needed  training  only  in  such  subjects  as  gunnery,  tactics, 
etc.  The  training  of  the  R.N.V.R.  is  here  described. 

32 


The  Task  of  the  Allied  Navies 

windy  March  evening  in  1916  there  were  some 
eighty  officers  of  the  auxiliary  fleet,  and  of  this 
number  one  hailed  from  distant  Rhodesia,  where 
he  was  the  owner  of  thousands  of  acres  of  land  and 
a  goodly  herd  of  cattle,  but  who,  some  time  in  the 
past,  had  rounded  the  Horn  in  a  wind-jammer  and 
taken  sights  in  the  "  Roaring  Forties/'  Another 
was  a  seascape  painter  of  renown  both  in  England 
and  the  United  States.  A  third  was  a  member  01 
a  Pacific  coast  yacht  club.  A  fourth  was  the  son  of 
an  Irish  peer,  the  owner  of  a  steam  yacht.  Then 
came  a  London  journalist,  a  barrister,  a  solicitor 
and  a  New  Zealand  yachtsman,  while  sitting  at 
the  table  was  a  famous  traveller  and  a  pukka 
commander. 

In  the  neighbouring  gunroom,  among  the  crowd 
of  sub-lieutenants — all  of  the  same  great  force,  the 
Royal  Naval  Volunteer  Reserve — was  a  grey- 
haired  veteran  from  the  Canadian  Lakes,  a 
youngster  from  the  Clyde,  the  son  of  a  shipowner 
from  Australia  and  a  bronzed  mine  manager  from 
the  Witwatersrand. 

Among  the  engineers  and  mechanics  the  same 
diversity.  Men  from  several  of  the  great  engin- 
eering establishments,  a  student  from  a  North 
Country  university,  electrical  engineers  from  the 
power  stations  and  mechanics  from  the  bench, 
with  here  and  there  one  or  two  with  sea-going 
experience. 

In  the  forecastle  and  elsewhere  about  the  old 
cruiser — now  merely  a  training  establishment — 
were  sailors  with  years  of  experience  in  both  sail 
c  33 


The  Task  of  the  Allied  Navies 

and  steam.  Fishermen  from  the  Hebrides  and 
Newfoundland  rubbing  shoulders  with  yacht 
hands  from  the  Solent  and  Clyde. 

From  this  curiously  mixed  but  excellent  raw 
material  a  naval  personnel,  with  its  essential  know- 
ledge and  discipline,  had  to  be  fashioned  in  record 
time  by  an  incredibly  small  staff  of  commissioned 
and  warrant  officers  of  the  permanent  service, 
aided  by  the  more  experienced  amateurs. 

It  must,  however,  not  be  thought  from  this  that 
the  amateur  was  converted  into  a  professional  sea- 
man in  the  space  of  a  week  or  two.  Three  months 
of  specialised  training  enabled  them  to  take  their 
place  in  the  new  fleet,  but  with  some  it  required  a 
much  longer  period  to  enable  them  to  feel  that 
perfect  self-confidence  when  alone  in  the  face  of 
difficulties  and  dangers  which  is  the  true  heritage 
of  the  sea. 

To  describe  here  the  training  of  officers  and  men 
would  be  to  repeat  what  will  be  more  fully  and 
personally  described  in  succeeding  chapters.  It  is 
sufficient  to  say  that  the  aim  was  to  bring  them  all 
to  a  predetermined  standard  of  efficiency,  which 
would  enable  the  officers  to  command  ships  of 
specific  types  at  sea  and  in  action,  and  the  men  to 
form  efficient  engineers  and  deck  hands  for  almost 
any  ship  in  the  Navy. 

The  medical  branches  naturally  required  no 
special  training  and  the  accountants  merely  a 
knowledge  of  naval  systems  of  financial  and 
general  administration.  These  two  branches  had 
their  own  training  establishments. 

34 


The  Task  of  the  Allied  Navies 

When  the  period  of  preliminary  training  in  the 
cruiser  Hermione  was  over  the  officers  were  passed 
on  to  the  Royal  Naval  College  at  Greenwich,  and 
from  there  to  one  or  other  of  the  fifty  war  bases  in 
the  United  Kingdom,  the  Mediterranean  or  farther 
afield.  Their  appointments  were  to  ships  forming 
the  fleets  attached  to  each  of  these  bases  and 
generally  operating  in  the  surrounding  seas. 

In  this  way  the  whole  zone  of  war  was  covered 
by  an  anti-submarine  and  minesweeping  organisa- 
tion and  general  naval  patrol,  which  operated  in 
conjunction  with,  but  separate  from,  the  battle 
fleets,  squadrons  and  flotillas,  which  were  thus  left 
free  to  perform  their  true  functions  in  big  naval 
engagements. 


35 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  NEW  NAVY— TRAINING  AN 
ANTI-SUBMARINE  FORCE 

HAVING  described  the  raison  d'etre  of  the  new 
navy,  and  how  it  became  a  fleet  in  being,  with  its 
own  admirals,  captains,  staffs,  bases  and  all  the 
paraphernalia  of  war,  I  can  pass  on  to  a  more 
intimate  description  of  the  training  of  the  officers 
and  men,  preparatory  to  their  being  drafted  to  the 
scattered  units  of  this  great  anti-submarine  force. 
Lying  in  the  spacious  docks  at  Southampton 
was  the  old  4000 -ton  cruiser  Hermione,  which  had 
been  brought  round   from  her  natural  base  in 
Portsmouth  dockyard  to  act  as  the  depot  ship  and 
training  establishment  for  a  large  section  of  this 
new  force.     Not  all  the  officers  and  men  of  the 
auxiliary   fleet  were,  however,   destined  to  pass 
across  its   decks.     This  vessel  was  reserved  for 
the  Royal  Naval  Volunteer  Reserve,  from  which 
a  very  considerable  proportion  of  the  entire  per- 
sonnel of  the  new  fleet   was  drawn.     Nor  was 
H.M.S.  Hermione  the  first  depot  ship  of  the  war- 
time R.N.V.R.  at  Southampton,  for  the  Admiralty 
yacht    Resource    II.    had    been    used    for    the 
first  few  drafts,  but  was  unfortunately  burned  to 
the  water's  edge.    There  were  also  other  vessels 
and  establishments  at  Portsmouth,  Devonport  and 

36 


The  New  Navy 

Chatham.  These  were,  however,  mainly  for  the 
reception  and  brief  training  of  the  more  experi- 
enced Merchant  Service  officers,  entered  in  the 
Royal  Naval  Reserve  for  the  duration  of  the  war, 
and  for  the  surgeons  and  accountants. 

The  men  of  the  new  force  were  mostly  trained 
in  the  naval  barracks  and  depot  ships  situated  at 
the  big  naval  centres,  such  as  Portsmouth  and 
Chatham.  After  a  few  weeks  all  these  establish- 
ments were  drafting,  in  a  constant  stream,  the 
trained  human  element  to  the  vessels  awaiting  full 
complements  at  the  different  war  bases,  or  being 
constructed  in  the  hundreds  of  shipyards  of  the 
Empire. 

About  H.M.S.  Hermione,  which  has  been  selected 
as  being  representative  of  the  training  depots  of  a 
large  section  of  the  auxiliary  service,  little  need  be 
said,  beyond  the  fact  that  she  was  commanded, 
first,  by  a  distinguished  officer  from  the  Dardan- 
elles, and  subsequently  by  an  equally  capable 
officer,  who,  by  the  irony  of  fate,  had  in  pre-war 
times  been  a  member  of  the  British  Naval  Mission 
to  the  Turkish  navy— both  of  them  men  whose 
experience  and  unfailing  tact  contributed  largely 
to  the  success  of  the  thousands  of  embryo  officers 
trained  under  their  command. 

The  ship  herself  was  a  rambling  old  cruiser, 
but  very  little  of  the  actual  training  was  carried 
out  on  board.  Spacious  buildings  on  the  quay- 
side provided  the  training  grounds  for  gunnery, 
drill,  signalling,  engineering  and  all  the  com- 
plicated curricula,  of  which  more  anon.  Lying 

37 


The  New  Navy 

in  the  still  waters  of  the  dock,  alongside  the  com- 
paratively big  grey  cruiser,  were  the  trim  little 
hulls  of  a  numerous  flotilla  of  20-knot  motor 
launches,  newly  arrived  from  Canada,  with  wicked- 
looking  i3-pounder  high-angle  guns,  stumpy 
torpedo-boat  masts  and  brand-new  White  Ensigns 
and  brass-bound  decks.  These  were  the  advance 
guard  of  a  fleet  of  over  500  similar  craft,  to  the 
command  of  which  many  of  the  officers  being 
trained  would,  after  a  period  of  practical  experi- 
ence at  sea,  eventually  succeed. 

There  were  besides  numerous  other  mosquito 
craft,  which  throbbed  in  and  out  of  the  dock  from 
that  vast  sheltered  arm  of  the  sea  called  South- 
ampton Water  on  mysterious  errands,  soon  to  be 
solved  by  new  recruits  in  the  chilly  winds  of 
winter  nights  and  early  mornings. 

This,  then,  was  the  mother  ship  and  her  children. 
When  once  the  aft  gangway  leading  up  from  the 
dockside  to  the  clean- scrubbed  decks  had  been 
crossed,  and  the  sentry's  challenge  answered,  the 
embryo  officer  left  civilian  life  behind  and  com- 
menced his  training  for  the  stern  work  of  war. 

It  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  give  here  a  closer 
description  of  the  training  of  the  officers  and  men 
of  the  new  navy,  drawn  from  personal  experience. 
To  do  this  without  the  irritating  egoism  of  the 
personal  narrative  it  will  be  necessary,  as  often 
in  future  pages,  to  adopt  the  convenient  "third 
person." 

The  night  was  fine,  but  a  keen  March  wind  blew 

38 


The  New  Navy 

from  off  the  sea.  The  dock  lights  were  reflected 
in  the  still  waters  of  the  harbour.  Tall  cranes 
stood  out  black  and  clearly  defined  against  the 
cold  night  sky.  The  shadows  were  deep  around 
the  warehouses,  stores  and  other  buildings  of  the 
busy  dockside. 

Lying  in  the  south-western  basin  was  the  big 
grey  hull  of  the  cruiser,  newly  painted,  and  looking 
very  formidable,  with  its  tall  masts  and  fighting- 
tops  towering  into  the  blue  void,  and  its  massive 
bow  rising  high  above  the  dock  wall. 

Coming  from  the  darkness  on  board  were  the 
tinkling  notes  of  a  banjo  and  the  subdued  hum  of 
voices.  Then  the  loud  call  of  the  quartermaster 
and  the  ringing  of  eight  bells. 

A  group  of  newly  appointed  officers  picked  their 
way  carefully  among  the  tangled  mooring  ropes  on 
the  quayside  and  as  they  approached  the  war- 
ship were  duly  challenged  by  the  sentries.  Two 
of  them  had  only  just  arrived  from  distant  New 
Zealand*  They  were  all  "for  training/'  and  on 
mounting  the  quarterdeck  gangway  were  politely 
requested  by  the  smiling  quartermaster  to  report 
at  the  ship's  office. 

In  order  to  get  from  the  deck  to  this  abode  of 
paymasters  and  writers,  except  by  the  tabooed 
"  captain's  hatchway,"  there  had  to  be  negotiated 
a  long  passage  leading  past  the  wardroom  and  the 
gunroom.  In  normal  times  at  such  an  hour 
this  passage  would  probably  have  been  almost 
deserted,  with  the  exception  of  a  sentry,  but  the 
training  was  being  speeded  up  to  meet  the  demands 

39 


The  New  Navy 

of  war,  and  with  nearly  200  officers,  many  of  whom 
fortunately  lived  ashore,  constantly  moving  to 
and  fro,  it  became  either  a  semi-dark,  congested 
thoroughfare,  in  which  everyone  was  curtly  apolo- 
gising for  knocking  against  someone  else,  or  else  it 
contained  the  steady  pressure  of  a  gunroom  over- 
flow meeting,  with  a  tobacco-scented  atmosphere 
peculiarly  its  own. 

When  the  formality  of  reporting  arrival  had 
been  completed,  the  embryo  officers  were  taken  in 
tow  by  the  "  Officer  of  the  Day/'  whose  duty  it  was 
to  introduce  them  to  the  gunroom  and  make  them 
familiar  in  a  general  way  with  the  routine  of  the 
ship.  The  officer  who  performed  this  ceremony 
on  the  night  in  question  has  since  held  a  highly 
responsible  post  at  the  Admiralty — such  is  the 
fortune  of  war. 

The  first  shock  came  when  the  work  for  the 
following  day  was  explained.  It  commenced  with 
physical  drill  on  the  quayside  at  7  A.M.  and  ended 
with  instruction  in  signalling  at  6  P.M.  ! 

The  early  morning  was  bitterly  cold  but  fine. 
Physical  "  jerks  "  was  not  a  dress  parade  ;  in  fact, 
some  of  the  early  risers  on  the  surrounding  trans- 
ports and  ocean  mail  boats  must  have  wondered 
what  particular  form  of  mania  the  crowd  of 
running,  leaping  and  arm-swinging  men,  in  all 
stages  of  undress  on  the  quayside,  really  suffered 
from. 

Breakfast  and  Divisions  were  the  next  items  on 
the  programme,  and  the  new-comers  looked  for- 

40 


The  New  Navy 

ward  to  the  day's  work  with  the  keen  interest  of 
freshness. 

Mormng  Divisions  and  Evening  Quarters  are 
events  of  some  importance  in  the  daily  routine  of 
his  Majesty's  ships.  They  are  parades  of  the  entire 
ship's  company,  with  the  exception  of  those  on 
important  duty,  marking  the  beginning  and  end  of 
the  day's  work.  The  crew,  or  men  under  training, 
are  mustered  in  "  Watches,"  under  their  respective 
officers,  and  stand  to  attention  at  the  bugle  call. 
The  senior  officer  taking  divisions  then  enters,  a 
roll  is  called  and  the  names  of  those  absent  re- 
ported. The  chaplain  stands  between  the  lines  of 
men  ;  the  order  "  Off  caps !  "  is  given  and  prayers 
commence.  When  these  are  finished  certain  orders 
of  the  day  are  read  out  to  the  assembled  ship's 
company  and  the  parade  is  over. 

At  evening  quarters,  on  certain  days  in  the  week, 
the  names  were  read  out  of  the  officers  and  men 
detailed  for  special  duties  or  for  draft  to  a  zone  of 
war. 

When  morning  divisions  were  over  the  day's 
work  began.  The  embryo  officers  were  attached 
to  the  seamanship  class,  consisting  of  about  twenty 
men  of  all  ages.  Oilskins  were  donned,  for  the  sky 
was  overcast  and  the  wind  keen.  They  climbed 
down  the  steel  sides  of  the  cruiser  on  to  the  small 
deck  of  a  tender,  which  was  to  convey  them  out  on 
to  the  broad  but  sheltered  waters  where  much  of 
the  preliminary  practical  training  was  to  take  place 
during  the  following  weeks. 

The  instructor,  an  officer  attached  for  the  pur- 


The  New  Navy 

pose,  then  divided  his  class  into  two  "  watches," 
one  being  directed  to  work  out  the  proposed  course 
of  the  ship  on  the  charts  in  the  cabin  and  to  give 
the  necessary  orders  to  the  other  watch  on  deck, 
who  were  to  carry  them  into  effect  as  the  ship 
steamed  along,  with  the  aid  of  sextant,  compass, 
wheel,  engine-room  telegraph,  lead  and  log-line. 
As  all  possessed  some  knowledge  of  the  sea,  and  had 
experience  in  navigating,  this  work  did  not  prove 
as  difficult  as  it  undoubtedly  would  to  anyone 
entirely  devoid  of  nautical  knowledge. 

Those  in  the  cabin  with  the  charts  worked  out 
the  compass  courses  from  one  point  to  another, 
making  the  necessary  allowances  for  tide,  devia- 
tion, etc.  Others  of  the  same  watch  received 
reports  from  the  "  bridge  "  and  made  the  correct 
entries  in  the  log-book.  All  elementary  work,  but 
which  needed  practice  to  make  perfect,  and  on  the 
accuracy  of  which  men's  lives  would  depend  in  the 
very  near  future. 

The  watch  on  deck  was  engaged  in  the  more 
practical  work  of  coastal  navigation  and  could  see 
the  effect  of  any  mistake  made  theoretically  by 
their  companions  below.  At  midday  the  watches 
were  reversed.  Those  working  at  the  charts  and 
courses  came  on  deck  and  the  seamen  of  the 
morning  became  the  navigating  officers  of  the 
afternoon. 

On  this  particular  day  the  second  or  port  watch 
had  the  worst  of  it.  A  squally  wind  and  rain  had 
set  in,  making  the  work  on  deck  thoroughly  wet 
and  uncomfortable.  An  hour  or  so  later  the  small 

42 


The  New  Navy 

ship  was  rolling  and  pitching  and  everyone  was 
drenched.  The  lead  was  kept  going  by  hands 
numb  with  cold — a  foretaste  of  the  long  and  bitter 
days  and  nights  to  be  afterwards  spent  in  wintry 
seas. 

The  training  cruises  were  continued  for  many 
days  and  were  interspersed  with  lectures  on  the 
elements  of  good  seamanship,  the  more  advanced 
theory  and  practice  of  navigation  being  left  for  a 
later  course  at  the  Royal  Naval  College,  Greenwich. 

After  seamanship  came  gunnery.  Each  of  the 
different  types  of  heavy  but  finely  made  weapons 
had  to  be  learned  in  detail — a  feat  of  memory 
when  it  came  to  the  watch-like  mechanism  of  the 
Maxim.  Guns  were  disabled  and  had  to  be  put 
right.  They  missed  fire  and  were  made  by  the 
instructors — old  naval  gunners — to  play  every 
dastardly  trick  conceivable.  The  final  test  which 
had  to  be  successfully  passed  was  the  dismantling 
of  each  type  of  gun  used  in  the  auxiliary  fleet  and 
the  reassembling  of  it. 

With  gunnery  came  also  the  marks  and  uses  of 
the  different  kinds  of  ammunition,  the  systems 
of  "  spotting  "  and  "  range-finding/'  Every  gun 
had  its  officer  crew  and  the  rapidity  of  fire  was 
recorded.  Each  man  in  turn  was  chosen  to  give 
the  necessary  orders  and  to  judge  the  ranges  and 
deflections.  In  this  way  not  only  was  the  practical 
work  learned  by  heart,  but  also  the  theory  of  naval 
gunnery,  so  far  as  it  related  to  the  smaller  types  of 
weapon. 

The  use  of  the  depth  charge,  both  mechanically 

43 


The  New  Navy 

and  tactically,  was  expounded  and  practically 
demonstrated,  together  with  that  of  the  torpedo, 
the  mine,  mine  laying  and  sweeping,  and  the 
peculiarities  of  various  explosives.  Rifle  and 
revolver  practice  was  encouraged,  and  morse  and 
semaphore  signalling  formed  part  of  the  daily 
routine. 

The  training  was  not  entirely  preparatory  for 
work  afloat.  Squad  and  company  drill,  rifle  and 
bayonet  exercise,  and  manoeuvring  in  extended 
order  formed  a  part  of  the  comprehensive  training. 
One  day,  not  many  weeks  after  their  arrival,  the 
officers  whose  fortunes  have  been  followed  found 
themselves  shouting  orders  and  directing  by  arm 
and  whistle  lines  of  dusty  camarades  advancing 
over  a  common  in  the  most  approved  military 
fashion. 

The  training  was  not  all  hard  work.  The  gather- 
ing of  so  many  men  from  all  quarters  of  the  world, 
with  a  wealth  of  experience  and  adventure  behind 
them,  was  in  itself  a  source  of  mutual  interest — 
and  incidentally  an  education  in  modern  British 
Imperialism.  Scarcely  any  part  of  the  world 
went  for  long  unrepresented  in  either  the  ward- 
room or  gunroom  of  the  old  cruiser  Hermione  in 
those  days  of  war,  and  many  were  the  yarns  told 
of  Alaska  days,  hunting  in  Africa,  experiences  in 
remote  corners  of  North  America,  pearling  in  the 
Pacific  and  life  on  the  Indian  frontier,  to  say 
nothing  of  wild  nights  on  the  seven  seas.  Grey 
heads  and  round,  boyish  faces,  the  university  and 
the  frontier,  with  a  camaraderie  seldom  equalled. 

44 


The  New  Navy 

The  period  of  training  in  the  old  cruiser  was 
drawing  to  a  close  when  each  officer  was  appointed 
to  "Boat  Duty."  There  were  five  launches  on 
duty  at  a  time,  and  their  crews  had  to  be  instantly 
ready  day  and  night.  The  most  coveted  were  the 
two  2 1 -knot  boats,  used  almost  exclusively  for  the 
conveyance  of  pilots  to  and  from  the  hospital 
ships  and  transports.  Then  came  the  patrol  boat, 
a  slow  old  tub  with  a  comfortable  cabin,  and  work 
out  on  Southampton  Water  at  night.  The  three 
"  duty  boats  "  were  for  emergency  use  and  were 
held  at  the  disposal  of  the  naval  transport  officer. 

The  duties  on  each  boat  varied  and  were  in  the 
nature  of  training.  The  pilot  boat  was  required  to 
lie  alongside  the  cutter,  out  beyond  the  harbour, 
and  to  convey  the  pilots  at  high  speed  to  and  from 
the  stream  of  shipping.  It  was  a  pleasant  duty 
which  entailed  alternate  nights  in  the  generous, 
breezy  company  of  the  old  sea-dogs  of  the  cutter, 
with  occasional  races  at  half-a-mile  a  minute 
through  the  darkness  and  spray  to  the  moving 
leviathans  of  the  ocean. 

The  patrol  ambled  up  and  down  the  sheltered 
waterways  during  the  day  and  night,  examining 
the  "  permits  "  of  fishermen  and  preventing  the 
movement  of  small  craft  during  the  hours  of  dark- 
ness, when  the  long  lines  of  troop-ships  were 
leaving  for  France. 

The  work  of  the  duty  boats  varied  from  day  to 
day,  but  there  was  always  the  morning  and  even- 
ing mail  to  be  collected  from  and  delivered  to  the 
ships  of  the  auxiliary  fleet  lying  out  in  the  fair-way. 

45 


The  New  Navy 

When  this  spell  of  water-police  work  was  over 
there  came  a  few  days'  practice  in  the  handling  of 
the  fast  sea-going  patrol  launches,  or  "M.L/s," 
about  which  so  much  has  since  been  written  in  the 
daily  papers. 

After  the  cramming  received  in  the  lecture -rooms, 
the  arduous  drill  and  the  somewhat  monotonous 
work  on  the  slow-moving  tenders,  the  runs  sea- 
ward on  these  new  and  trim  little  vessels,  the 
manoeuvring  at  nineteen  knots,  the  breeze  of 
passage  and  the  feeling  of  controlled  power  acted 
as  an  elixir  on  both  mind  and  body.  Then  came 
firing  practice  in  the  open  sea.  The  sharp  crack 
of  cordite,  the  tongues  of  livid  flame,  the  scream  of 
the  shells,  the  white  splashes  of  the  ricochet  and 
the  salt  sea  breezes. 

Two  days  later  the  preliminary  training  was 
over  and  there  loomed  ahead  a  period  of  hard 
study  at  the  Royal  Naval  College. 


CHAPTER  III 
A  NAVAL  UNIVERSITY  IN  TIME  OF  WAR 

BUILT  by  King  Charles  I.  for  the  Stuart  navy, 
and  used  for  over  two  and  a  half  centuries 
as  the  university  of  the  Senior  Service,  the 
Royal  Naval  College,  Greenwich,  is  a  building 
with  an  historic  past.  It  has  housed,  fed  and 
taught  many  of  England's  most  illustrious 
sailors. 

It  was  to  cabin  and  lecture  hall  in  this  fine  old 
building  that  officers  of  the  new  navy  went  to  com- 
plete their  knowledge  of  navigation  and  kindred 
subjects  when  their  preliminary  sea  training  came 
to  a  close. 

There  is  but  little  romance  in  a  highly  specialised 
course  of  study  designed  to  enable  the  recipients 
to  find  their  way  with  safety,  both  in  sunshine  and 
storm,  over  the  vast  water  surface  of  the  world. 
To  describe  here  the  subjects  taught  would  only 
be  wearisome  and  uninteresting.  Sufficient  to  say 
that  the  course  was  a  most  comprehensive  one  and 
admirably  arranged  by  masters  of  the  mariner's 
art.  If  any  fault  can  be  found  it  is  certainly  not 
one  of  paucity  of  information,  and  the  proof  of  its 
bfficacy  can  be  found  in  the  fact  that,  so  far  as  the 
author  knows,  there  was  not  a  single  ship,  after- 
wards commanded  by  officers  who  underwent  this 

47 


A  Naval  University  in  Time  of  War 

training,  lost  through  insufficient  knowledge  of 
the  art  of  navigation. 

The  days  spent  in  the  Naval  College  were  fully 
occupied  by  attendance  at  lectures  and  the  even- 
ings in  private  study  and  the  preparation  of  elabor- 
ate notes  and  sketches  for  the  final  passing-out 
examination.  There  was  one  moment  of  each  day 
which  was  rendered  historic  by  old  custom.  It 
came  at  the  conclusion  of  dinner  in  the  big  white 
hall,  when  the  officer  whose  turn  it  happened  to  be 
rose  to  his  feet  and  gave  the  toast  of  the  navy — 
"  Gentlemen,  the  King  !  " 

It  was  in  the  grounds  of  this  college  that  many 
officers  saw  their  first  zeppelin  raid.  On  one  occa- 
sion it  occurred  late  in  the  fourth  week  of  the 
course.  Nearly  all  were  in  their  respective  studies, 
surrounded  by  a  mass  of  papers,  charts,  drawing 
instruments  and  books,  making  the  last  deter- 
mined attack  on  various  knotty  problems  previous 
to  the  final  examination. 

Ten  P.M.  had  just  been  registered  by  the  electric 
clocks  in  the  famous  observatory  overlooking  the 
college,  when  the  sound  of  running  feet  came  down 
the  long  corridors.  A  stentorian  voice  shouted  : 
"  All  lights  out  !  " 

In  a  moment  the  whole  building,  with  its  laby- 
rinth of  corridors,  was  plunged  into  Ethiopian 
darkness.  Doors  were  opened  and  a  jostling 
crowd  of  men  groped  their  way  down  passages 
and  stone  staircases  into  the  grounds.  Here  the 
Admiral  and  his  staff  were  making  sure  that 
no  lights  were  visible.  Traffic  in  the  near-by 


A  Naval  University  in  Time  of  War 

thoroughfare  had  been  stopped,  and  all  around  lay 
the  Great  Metropolis,  oppressively  dark  and  still. 

A  searchlight  flashed  heavenwards  and  was 
followed  by  other  beams.  All  of  these  suddenly 
concentrated  on  the  gleaming  white  hull  of  a 
zeppelin,  high  in  the  indigo  sky.  The  ground 
trembled  under  the  fire  of  the  anti-aircraft 
batteries.  Shells  whistled  and  moaned  over  the 
College  and  bright  flashes  came  from  little  puffs 
of  white  smoke  high  in  the  central  blue. 

Dull-sounding  but  earth-shaking  booms  came 
from  different  points  as  the  airship  dropped  her 
deadly  cargo.  Shrapnel  fell  on  the  congested 
house-tops  with  a  peculiar  hiss  and  thud  and 
ambulances  rumbled  over  the  stone-paved  high- 
road. 

It  was  a  small  incident  and  scarcely  worth  the 
space  required  for  its  recording,  but  it  served  a 
purpose — to  steel  the  heart  and  steady  the  hand 
for  the  time  to  come. 


49 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  NEW  FLEETS  IN  BEING 

BACK  once  again  on  the  old  cruiser  with  training 
completed  and  awaiting  draft  to  the  zones  of  war. 
Then  came  the  sailing  orders.  The  name  of  each 
officer  was  called  in  turn  and  he  disappeared  into 
the  ship's  office,  to  return  a  few  minutes  later  carry- 
ing a  sheaf  of  white  and  blue  Admiralty  orders, 
his  face  grave  or  gay  according  to  destination. 

Some  were  for  the  Spanish  Main  and  bemoaned 
their  fate  at  being  ordered  to  a  station  so  remote 
from  the  principal  zone  of  war.  Others  were 
destined  for  the  Mediterranean  and  comforted 
themselves  with  hopes  that  trouble  was  brewing 
elsewhere  than  in  the  Adriatic,  to  which  a  lucky 
few  were  appointed.  The  Suez  Canal  and  Egypt 
claimed  their  share,  but  by  far  the  greater  number 
were  bound  for  the  misty  northern  seas. 

About  the  training  given  to  the  200,000  men 
little  can  be  said  here  because  of  its  diversity. 
They  came  as  volunteers  from  all  quarters  of  the 
globe,  were  collected  at  the  great  depots  in  Ports- 
mouth, Chatham  and  Devonport,  were  trained  in 
the  art  of  signalling,  squad  drill,  gunnery,  seaman- 
ship and  the  hundred  and  one  things  required  by 
the  "  handy  man/'  then  belched  forth  into  the 
ships. 

50 


The  New  Fleets  in  Being 

Some  had  sailed  the  sea  for  years  before  in  vessels 
of  all  kinds  and  needed  little  more  than  the  sense 
of  cohesion  and  unquestioning  obedience  imparted 
by  discipline  and  drill.  Others  knew  more  of  the 
working  of  a  loom,  or  the  extraction  of  coal,  than 
of  seamanship,  and  spent  a  cheerful  but  arduous 
few  months  in  training  depots  and  on  special  ships 
completing  their  education.  Cooks  there  were 
who  could  make  little  else  besides  Scotch  broth, 
while  others,  the  engineers — or  motor  mechanics, 
as  they  were  called  when  appointed  to  some  of  the 
petrol-driven  patrol  boats — knew  their  profession 
or  trade  better  than  they  could  be  taught,  and 
proved  themselves  untiring  and  indomitable  when 
it  came  to  the  real  thing — as  will  be  seen  later. 

Having  now  described  the  training  of  both 
officers  and  men,  we  come  to  the  ships  they  were 
called  upon  to  navigate  down  to  the  seas  of 
adventure. 

ARMED  LINERS 

To  set  on  record  the  formation  of  the  ships  of 
the  new  navy  in  divisions,  squadrons  or  units,  and 
to  classify  them  here  under  separate  headings — an 
easy  enough  matter  with  regular  fleets  constructed 
for  definite  duties — is  a  task  of  considerable  diffi- 
culty with  a  heterogeneous  fleet  composed  of 
several  thousand  vessels  with  seldom  two  alike. 

Beginning  with  the  ocean  liners,  as  the  largest 
and  most  powerfully  armed  of  the  new  fleet :  these 
were  mostly  grouped  for  administrative  purposes 
in  one  large  formation,  known  as  the  '  Tenth 


The  New  Fleets  in  Being 

Cruiser  Squadron."  But  when  at  sea  they  oper- 
ated in  smaller  units  and  frequently  as  single  ship 
patrols.  Their  principal  zone  of  activity  was  the 
vast  stretch  of  Arctic  sea  extending  from  Norway 
and  North  Russia  to  Iceland,  the  Hebrides  and 
Labrador.  Their  work  was  arduous  in  the  extreme, 
as  will  easily  be  realised  from  the  nature  of  the 
seas  in  which  they  primarily  operated. 

Strictly  speaking,  were  distinct  divisions  possible, 
the  Tenth  Cruiser  Squadron  did  not  form  part  of 
the  auxiliary  navy  in  its  true  sense,  although  many 
of  the  officers  and  men  were  drawn  from  newly 
raised  corps.  It  acted  rather  as  a  distinct  patrol 
fleet,  filling  the  wide  gap  of  sea  between  Scotland 
and  the  Arctic  ice. 

FIGHTING  SLOOPS 

Next  in  order  of  importance  came  the  newly 
built  screw  sloops,  with  powerful  guns  and  engines. 
Their  numbers  varied  and  they  were  continually 
being  added  to.  Some  of  these  vessels  were  used 
for  patrol  duties  and  others  for  minesweeping. 
The  sloop  flotillas  had  many  zones  of  activity. 
One  was  the  North  Atlantic,  with  special  care  for 
the  coast  of  Ireland.  Another  was  the  North  Sea, 
with  a  marked  preference  for  the  east  coast  of 
Scotland  and  the  Straits  of  Dover. 

These  flotillas  also  were  frequently  assigned 
duties  independent  of  the  auxiliary  patrol  organ- 
isation, but  nevertheless  formed  an  important  part 
of  the  vast  anti-submarine  and  anti-mine  navy. 

52 


The  New  Fleets  in  Being 

In  the  Mediterranean  also  there  were  a  number 
of  patrol  gunboats  and  minesweepers  similar  to  the 
fighting  sloops.  Their  principal  base  in  this  region 
was  on  Italian  soil. 

ARMED  YACHTS 

We  now  come  to  that  portion  of  the  auxiliary 
fleet  whose  special  care  was  the  seas  around  the 
United  Kingdom  and  the  Colonies.  First  came 
the  armed  yachts,  over  50  in  number,  with  ton- 
nages varying  from  one  to  five  hundred.  These 
were  obtained  from  the  owners,  armed  as  heavily 
as  their  size  and  strength  permitted,  and  mostly 
became  the  flag-ships  of  patrol  flotillas.  They 
were  nearly  always  equipped  with  wireless,  hydro- 
phone listening  apparatus,  depth  charges  and  all 
the  appliances  for  anti-submarine  warfare. 

Their  losses  were  not  heavy  considering  the 
dangerous  nature  of  their  work  and  could  almost 
be  counted  on  the  fingers  of  both  hands.  This 
was  due  mainly  to  their  good  speed  and  man- 
oeuvring qualities.  They  made  wonderfully  effi- 
cient auxiliary  warships,  maintaining  the  sea  in 
almost  all  weathers  and  accounting  for  quite  a 
number  of  U-boats.  These  vessels  were,  of  course, 
never  used  for  the  rougher  work  of  minesweeping. 

WHALERS 

The  whalers  were  few  in  number  and  resembled 
small  destroyers.  They  were  powerful  craft  and 

~ 


The  New  Fleets  in  Being 

well  armed,  but  their  sea-keeping  qualities  left 
much  to  be  desired.  In  fact,  to  use  a  naval  term, 
they  were  dirty  boats  even  in  a  "  lop."  It  was 
said  that  if  an  officer  or  man  had  been  for  long  in 
one  of  these  ships  he  was  proof  against  all  forms  of 
sea-sickness.  A  big  assertion,  as  even  old  sailors 
will  admit— but  they  call  it  "  liver." 

MINESWEEPERS 

About  the  screw  and  paddle  minesweepers  little 
can  be  said  beyond  the  fact  that  they  numbered 
about  200  and  performed  some  of  the  most  danger- 
ous work  in  the  war.  Many  of  them  were  old 
passenger  steamers  from  the  Clyde,  Bristol  Channel, 
Thames  and  south  and  east  coast  resorts,  the 
famous  Brighton  Queen  being,  until  her  untimely 
end  on  a  mine  off  the  Belgian  coast,  one  of  their 
number.  The  loss  among  this  class  of  ship  was 
about  10  per  cent. 

TRAWLERS 

By  far  the  largest  portion  of  the  auxiliary  patrol 
units  consisted  of  armed  and  commissioned 
trawlers.  Their  numbers  far  exceeded  1000,  and 
nearly  half  were  used  for  the  dangerous  work 
of  minesweeping.  About  a  trawler  little  need  be 
said,  for  beyond  what  can  be  seen  in  the  accom- 
panying illustrations  there  is  little  of  interest  until 
we  come  to  the  question  of  their  curious  arms  and 
appliances,  fit  subjects  for  a  special  chapter. 

54 


The  New  Fleets  in  Being 

A  large  number  of  these  units  were  fitted  with 
wireless  and  carried  masked  batteries  of  quick- 
firing  guns.  To  give  here  their  zones  of  operation 
would  be  to  set  out  in  detail  not  only  the  seas 
arouiid  the  British  Isles,  but  distant  waters  such 
as  the  Mediterranean  and  the  White  Sea.  They  had 
distinct  duties  to  perform,  which  may  be  summed 
up  as  follows  : — (i)  minesweeping  ;  (2)  night  and 
day  patrols  alone  or  in  company  over  immense 
areas  of  sea ;  (3)  convoy  duty ;  and  (4)  fishery 
guard. 

Their  losses  were  heavy,  both  in  ships  and  men, 
amounting  to  about  30  per  cent.  Many  were  the 
lonely  sea  fights  engaged  in  by  these  vessels.  A 
few  will  receive  the  praise  they  deserve  and  the 
remainder  will  rest  content  with  the  knowledge 
of  duty  done. 

DRIFTERS 

If  numbers  or  losses  were  the  dominant  factors 
the  armed  drifters  should  be  high  in  the  list. 
There  were  engaged  considerably  over  1000  of 
these  craft,  and  the  losses  amounted  to  about 
20  per  cent. 

It  may  be  necessary  to  inform  some  of  my  readers 
that  a  drifter  is  not  necessarily  a  vessel  that  is  con- 
tent to  start  out  on  a  voyage  and  rely  on  drifting 
to  its  destination,  as  its  name  implies.  The  term 
is  derived  from  the  drift  nets  used  by  these  vessels 
for  fishing  in  time  of  peace.  They  are,  in  almost 
all  respects,  small  editions  of  the  deep-sea  trawler— 

55 


The  New  Fleets  in  Being 

minus  the  powerful  steam-driven  winch  for  hauling 
in  the  trawl  nets. 

For  war  purposes  the  holds  of  these,  and  many 
other  types  of  auxiliary  warships,  were  converted 
into  officers'  cabins,  or  gun  platforms  for  masked 
batteries.  A  few  carried  special  nets  in  which  to 
entangle  the  wily  "  Fritz."  Others  had  aboard 
special  types  of  submarine  mines,  and  one,  com- 
manded by  the  author,  was  used  for  the  transport 
of  wounded  from  Admiral  Sir  David  Beatty's 
flag-ship,  H.M.S.  Lion,  after  the  Jutland  fight. 

These  were,  as  might  be  expected,  good  sea  boats, 
and  carried  out  duties  of  great  danger  and  value. 
Several  hundred  were  fitted  with  wireless.  Their 
zone  of  operations  was  far  flung,  extending  from 
the  Arctic  Circle  to  the  Equator.  It  was,  however, 
in  the  unequal  fights  with  German  destroyers  in 
the  Straits  of  Dover  and  with  Austrian  torpedo 
boat  destroyers  in  the  Adriatic  that  they  made  a 
name  for  valour.  In  two  of  these  engagements 
no  less  than  six  and  fourteen  drifters  were  sunk  in 
a  few  minutes. 

MOTOR  LAUNCHES 

About  the  now  famous  motor  launches,  or 
"  movies/'  as  they  are  called  in  the  Service, 
much  will  be  said  in  later  pages.  They  numbered 
over  500,  and,  with  but  few  exceptions,  were  a 
homogeneous  flotilla  of  fast  sea-going  patrol  boats, 
heavily  armed  for  their  size.  Some  idea  of  their 
appearance  under  varying  conditions  will  be  gained 
from  a  study  of  the  illustrations. 

56 


The  New  Fleets  in  Being 

They  were  all  commanded  by  R.N.V.R.  officers, 
whose  training  on  H.M.S.  Hermione  and  elsewhere 
has  been  described  in  an  earlier  chapter.  They 
carried  a  crew  of  nine  men  and  two  officers,  and 
their  zones  of  operations  extended  from  the  icy 
seas  which  wash  the  Orkneys  and  Shetlands  to  the 
West  Indies  and  the  Suez  Canal. 

It  may  be  of  interest  to  give  here  an  extract  from 
the  American  journal,  Rudder,  showing  how  these 
vessels  came  into  being.1  Although  the  hulls  were 
constructed  in  Canada,  and  much  of  the  assembling 
was  also  carried  out  on  the  banks  of  the  St  Law- 
rence, the  engines  came  from  the  United  States. 
It  was  to  the  organising  ability  of  Mr  Henry  R. 
Sutphen,  of  the  Electric  Boat  Company,  New 
York,  that  the  delivery  of  over  500  of  these 
wonderful  little  craft  in  less  than  a  year  was 
due.  Here  is  that  gentleman's  story  of  the 
"M.L."  contract  : 

"  It  was  in  February,  1915,  that  we  had  our 
initial  negotiations  with  the  British  Naval  authori- 
ties. A  well-known  English  shipbuilder  and 
ordnance  expert  was  in  this  country,  presumably 
on  secret  business  for  the  Admiralty,  and  I  met 
him  one  afternoon  at  his  hotel.  Naturally  the 
menace  of  the  German  submarine  warfare  came 
into  discussion  ;  we  both  agreed  that  the  danger 
was  a  real  one,  and  that  steps  should  be  taken  to 
meet  it. 

"  I  suggested  the  use  of  a  number  of  small, 

1    Yachting  Monthly  and  R.N.  V.R.  Magazine,  August,  1917. 

57 


The  New  Fleets  in  Being 

speedy  gasolene  boats  for  use  in  attacking  and 
destroying  submarines.  My  idea  was  to  have  a 
mosquito  fleet  big  enough  to  thoroughly  patrol 


FIG.  i. — Diagram  showing  principal  characteristics  of  an  armed 
motor  launch.  A.  Wheel-house.  B.  Searchlight.  C.  Chart- 
room.  D.  Navigation  lights.  E.  3  or  13  pounder  quick-firing 
gun.  F.  Wheel  and  indicators  in  wheel-house.  H.  Hand 
pumps  supplementing  power  pumps  in  engine-room.  /. 
Hatchway  leading  to  engine-room.  /.  Hatchway  leading  to 
wardroom.  K.  Life-boat.  L.  Officers'  cabins.  M.  Hatchway 
leading  to  officers'  cabins.  N.  Depth  charges  (2  or  4).  O.  Deck 
box  containing  life-belts.  P.  Stern  petrol  tanks  (2).  Q. 
Officers'  sleeping  cabin.  R.  Officers'  mess-room.  5.  Galley. 
T.  Engine-room.  U.  Main  petrol  engines  (2).  V.  Reservoirs 
of  compressed  air  for  starting  main  engines.  W.  Foreward 
petrol  tanks.  X.  Forecastle  and  men's  quarters.  V.  Men's 
lavatory.  Z.  Forepeak. 

the  coastal  waters  of  Great  Britain,  each  of  them 
carrying  a  i3-lb.  rapid-fire  gun. 

"  I  explained  that  I  had  in  mind  two  distinct 
types.  The  first  would  have  an  over-all  length  of 
about  50  feet,  and  would  be  fitted  with  high-speed 
engines  ;  such  a  boat  would  show  a  maximum  of 
25  knots.  The  alternative  would  be  something 
around  80  feet  in  length,  with  slow  turning  engines 

58 


The  New  Fleets  in  Being 

and  a  speed  of  19  knots.  I  added  that  my  pre- 
ference was  for  the  larger  and  slower  type. 

"  He  asked  how  many  units  of  that  class  we  could 
build  in  a  year's  time,  and  I  told  him  that  I  could 
guarantee  fifty.  He  said  that  he  would  think  the 
matter  over,  and  we  parted. 

"  A  few  days  later  I  had  another  interview  and 
was  told  that  the  British  Government  Was  ready  to 
give  us  a  contract  for  fifty  vessels  of  the  larger  type, 
the  whole  lot  to  be  delivered  within  a  year's  time. 

"  On  April  gth,  1915,  the  contract  for  fifty 
'  chasers  '  was  signed. 

"  The  Lmitania  sailed  on  her  last  voyage  May 
ist,  1915,  and  a  week  later  her  torpedoing  by  a 
German  U-boat  was  reported.  My  English  friend 
was  sailing  that  same  day  from  New  York,  and  we 
were  giving  him  a  farewell  luncheon  at  Delmonico's. 
When  the  appalling  news  was  communicated  to 
him  he  appeared  much  depressed,  as  indeed  was 
natural  enough,  and  also  very  thoughtful.  Before 
he  said  good-bye  he  intimated  to  me  that  he  in- 
tended advising  the  Admiralty  to  increase  the 
number  of  '  Chasers  ' ;  he  asked  me  if  I  thought  I 
could  take  care  of  a  bigger  order.  I  told  him  that 
I  could  guarantee  to  build  a  boat  a  day  for  so  long 
a  period  as  the  Admiralty  might  care  to  name. 

"  After  he  reached  England  we  shortly  received 
a  cablegram  ordering  five  hundred  additional 
'  Sutphens/  our  code  word  for  submarine  '  Chaser ' ; 
in  other  words  we  were  now  asked  to  build  five 
hundred  and  fifty  of  these  boats  and  deliver  them 

59 


The  New  Fleets  in  Being 
in  complete   running   order  by  November   i5th, 


The  armament  of  a  motor  launch  consisted  of 
a  13  -pounder  quick-firing  high-angle  gun,  capable 
of  throwing  a  lyddite  shell  for  over  four  miles, 
and  was  as  useful  against  aircraft  as  it  was  against 
submarines.  In  addition  to  this  heavy  gun  for 
small  craft  they  carried  about  1200  Ib.  of  high 


FIG.  2.' — Plan  of  armed  motor  launch,  showing  internal  arrange- 
ments. A.  Officers  'sleeping  cabin.  B.B.  Bunks.  C.  Cupboard. 
D.  Lavatory.  E.E.  Stern  petrol  tanks.  F.  Wardroom.  G. 
Table.  H.  Settee.  7.  Galley.  /.  Petrol  stove.  K.  Engine- 
room.  L.L.  Main  engines.  M.  Compressed  air  reservoirs. 
N.  Auxiliary  petrol  engine  driving  dynamo,  bilge  pumps,  fire 
pumps  and  air  compressor.  O.  Electric  storage  batteries, 
switchboard  and  electrical  starting  arrangements  for  auxiliary 
engine.  P.  Chart-room  with  petrol  tanks  below.  Q.  Maga- 
zine. R.  Fresh-water  tanks.  S.  Forecastle.  T.  Bunks  for 
crew.  U.  Forecastle  lavatory.  V.  Watertight  forepeak. 

explosive  in  the  form  of  depth  charges  for  bomb- 
ing underwater  craft,  a  Lewis  machine  gun,  rifles 
and  revolvers. 

These  vessels  were  driven  by  twin  screws  con- 
nected to  twin  engines  of  about  500  h.p.  They 
possessed,  in  addition,  an  auxiliary  petrol  engine 
of  about  60  h.p.  for  compressing  the  air  required 
to  start  the  main  engines,  for  working  the  fire  and 
bilge  pumps,  and  for  driving  a  dynamo  to  recharge 
the  electric  storage  batteries.  The  triple  tanks 

60 


The  New  Fleets  in  Being 

carried  over  3000  gallons  of  petrol,  and  the  con- 
sumption, when  travelling  at  full  speed,  was  a 
gallon  a  minute. 

Many  were  fitted  with  wireless,  and  all  of  them 
had  on  board  the  most  approved  pattern  of  hydro- 
phone, with  which  to  listen  below  the  surface  for 
the  movements  of  hostile  submarines.  They  had 
electric  light  in  the  cabins  and  for  navigation, 
fighting  and  mast-head  signalling  purposes.  A 
moderately  powerful  searchlight,  fitted  with  a 
Morse  signalling  shutter,  was  also  part  of  their 
equipment. 

These  little  miniature  warships  possessed  a  small 
wardroom  and  sleeping  cabin  for  the  officers,  a 
galley  with  petrol  range  for  cooking,  an  engine- 
room,  magazine  for  the  ammunition,  chart-room, 
and  ample  forecastle  accommodation  for  the  crew 
of  nine  men.  All  parts  of  the  ship  were  connected 
with  the  bridge  by  speaking-tubes  and  electric 
bells,  and  the  aft  deck  accommodated  a  steel 
life-boat. 

The  duties  of  these  craft  varied  considerably. 
For  over  three  years  they  maintained  a  constant 
patrol  in  the  North  Sea,  Atlantic,  English  Channel, 
Irish  Sea,  Mediterranean,  Adriatic,  Suez  Canal, 
Straits  of  Gibraltar,  and  in  West  Indian  Waters. 
Only  one  who  knows  by  experience  can  fully 
appreciate  what  work  in  these  northern  seas,  with 
their  winter  snows  and  Arctic  winds,  and  their 
chilly  summer  fogs,  really  means  to  a  mere  thirty 
tons  of  nautical  humanity  in  as  many  square 
leagues  of  storm-swept  sea  infested  with  mines 

61 


The  New  Fleets  in  Being 

and  hostile  submarines.  But  when  this  book  has 
been  finished  the  reader  will  be  in  a  position  to 
judge  for  himself. 

The  losses  of  motor  launches  were  not  heavy 
considering  the  dangerous  nature  of  their  cargoes 
(3000  gallons  of  petrol  within  a  few  feet  of  1500 
Ib.  of  high  explosive  in  a  wooden  hull)  and  the 
duties  they  were  called  upon  to  perform  in  all 
weathers  short  of  heavy  gales.  Several  were 
blown  up  with  terrible  results  to  those  aboard. 
Others  caught  fire  and  were  burned — allowing  only 
just  sufficient  time  to  sink  the  explosives  aboard. 
A  few  were  smashed  to  pieces  on  exposed  coasts 
after  struggling  for  hours  amid  heavy  seas.  One 
struck  a  mine  off  Ostend.  Another  was  destroyed 
by  shell-fire  in  the  Mediterranean,  and  the  part 
they  played  in  the  raids  on  Zeebrugge  and  Ostend, 
in  which  two  were  lost  and  a  V.C.  gained,  is  now 
world  famous. 

COASTAL  MOTOR  BOATS 

There  was,  besides  M.L/s,  another  smaller  but 
faster  type  of  submarine  chaser.  These  little 
vessels,  of  which  there  were  about  80  actually 
in  commission,  possessed  no  cabin  or  other  ac- 
commodation for  long  cruises.  They  were  simply 
thin  grey  hulls  with  powerful  high-speed  engines. 
They  were  known  as  C.M.B.'s,  or,  to  give  them 
their  full  title,  Coastal  Motor  Boats.  The  purpose 
for  which  they  were  constructed  was  to  operate 
from  coastal  bases,  and  to  be  launched  from  ocean- 

62 


The  New  Fleets  in  Being 

going  ships  to  chase  a  hostile  submarine  which  had 
been  located  by  seaplanes  and  reported  by  wire- 
less in  a  given  locality.  This,  however,  was  what 
they  were  intended  for,  but  bore  little  relation  to 
the  work  they  actually  accomplished.  Their  nick- 
name was  "  Scooters/'  and  they  certainly  did 
"  scoot  "  over  the  sea. 

There  were  three  types  of  CM.B.'s.      One  had 
a  length  of  only  44  feet,  and  was  intended  for 


FIG.  3. — Diagram  showing  principal  characteristics  of  a  coastal 
motor  boat  (C.M.B.).  Speed  50  miles  per  hour.  A.  Hydro- 
phone hull,  so  constructed  as  to  rise  on  to  surface  when  travel- 
ling at  full  speed.  B.  Covered  wheel-house.  C.  Navigating 
well.  D.  Wireless  aerials.  E.  Depth  charges  (2  small  size). 
F.  Manhole  to  engine-room. 

carriage  on  the  decks  of  light  cruisers  or  other 
moderate-sized  surface  ships.  The  armament  was 
a  Lewis  machine  gun  and  two  depth  charges  for 
anti-submarine  warfare.  The  next  class  were  55 
feet  in  length  and  operated  from  coast  bases. 
These  were  fitted  with  one  or  more  Whitehead 
torpedoes,  launched  by  an  ingenious  contrivance 
from  the  stern.  Class  III.  were  70  feet  in  length, 
and  were  commissioned  just  before  the  signing 

63 


The  New  Fleets  in  Being 

of  the  Armistice.    They  were  fitted  for  mine-laying 
close  up  to  enemy  harbours. 

The  maximum  speed  of  the  55-feet  C.M.B.'s, 
which  were  the  most  numerous,  was  40  knots,  or 
nearly  a  mile  a  minute.  They  were  driven  by 
twin  screws  coupled  to  twin  engines  of  350  h.p. 
each — working  at  1350  revolutions  per  minute. 
Being  of  very  shallow  draught,  some  26  inches, 
these  little  vessels  could  skim,  hydroplane  fashion, 
over  any  ordinary  minefield,  and  a  torpedo  fired  at 


FIG.  4. — Plan  of  coastal  motor  boat,  showing  torpedo  in  cleft  stern. 
A.  Whale-back  or  arched  deck.  B.  Wheel-house.  C.  Navi- 
gating well.  D.  Engine-room.  E.  Foreward  petrol  tanks. 
F.  Forepeak.  G.  Depth  charges.  H.  Cleft  stern  with  torpedo 
ready  for  launching.  /.  Whitehead  torpedo,  launched  stern 
first. 

them  would  merely  pass  under  their  keel.  The 
risk  of  destruction  from  shell-fire  was  also  reduced 
to  a  minimum  by  their  small  size  and  great  speed. 
Their  principal  enemies  were,  however,  seaplanes 
armed  with  machine  guns. 

It  is  not  difficult  to  imagine  a  fight  between  a 
C.M.B.  travelling  at  40  knots,  firing  with  its  little 
Lewis  gun  at  a  big  seaplane  swooping  down  from 
the  clouds  at  the  rate  of  70  miles  an  hour,  and 
splashing  the  water  around  the  frail  little  grey-hulled 
scooter  with  bullets  from  its  machine  gun.  This 
actually  occurred  many  times  off  the  Belgian 

64 


na  m  

T horny crojt  &*  Lo  ,  Ltd. 

A  40-FT.  COASTAL  MOTOR  BOAT  TRAVELLING  AT  FULL  SPEED 


litotnycrojt  &>  Co.,  Ltd. 

A  40-FT.  COASTAL  MOTOR  BOAT  TRAVELLING  AT  FULL  SPEED 


The  New  Fleets  in  Being 

coast,  and  is  a  typical  picture  of  guerrilla  war  at 
sea  in  the  twentieth  century. 

The  C.M.B.  was  a  purely  British  design,  and  the 


B^ 


FIG.  5. — Diagram  illustrating  method  of  attack  by  C.M.B.  on  surface 
ship  (or  submarine  on  surface).  A.  Object  of  attack  travelling 
in  direction  indicated  by  arrow  E.  B.  The  position  of  the 
C.M.B.  after  delivering  the  attack.  C.  The  torpedo,  released 
by  the  C.M.B.  at  point  D,  travelling  on  course  ending  at  F, 
which,  allowing  for  movement  of  ship  A ,  is  the  place  where  the 
torpedo  should  strike  its  object  of  attack.  From  this  it  will  be 
seen  that  the  torpedo,  when  released,  actually  follows  the  ship 
from  which  it  is  fired  until  the  latter  swerves  from  the  straight 
course,  when  the  torpedo  continues  until  it  strikes  or  misses 
the  object  of  attack,  the  speed  of  the  torpedo  being  about  the 
same  or  a  little  less  than  that  of  the  C.M.B.  The  total  time 
occupied  in  such  an  attack  over  a  course  of  two  miles  would  be 
about  2j  minutes  before  the  torpedo  struck  its  object. 

firm  largely  responsible  for  the  success  achieved 
was  Messrs  John  J.  Thorny  croft  &  Company 
Limited.  There  were  bases  for  these  sea-gnats  at 
Portsmouth,  Dover,  Dunkirk,  and  in  the  Thames 
Estuary  at  Osea  Island.  From  all  of  these  points 
E  65 


The  New  Fleets  in  Being 

mid-Channel  could  be  reached  in  less  than  thirty 
minutes.  Although  useless  in  rough  weather,  a 
trip  in  a  C.M.B.,  even  on  a  calm  day,  was  sufficiently 
exciting.  The  roar  of  the  engines  made  speech 
impossible,  and  vision  when  sitting  in  the  little 
glass-screened  well,  or  conning-tower,  was  limited 
by  the  great  waves  of  greenish-white  water  which 
curved  upwards  from  either  bow,  and  rolled  astern 
in  a  welter  of  foam.  There  was  an  awe-inspiring 
fury  in  the  thunder  of  the  700  h.p.  engines  re- 
volving at  1350  per  minute,  and  a  feeling  of  ecstasy 
in  the  stiff  breeze  of  passage  and  the  atomised 
spray.  When  waves  came  the  slap-slap-slap  of  the 
water  as  the  sharp  bows  cleft  through  the  crest  and 
the  little  vessel  was  for  a  brief  moment  poised 
dizzily  on  the  bosom  of  the  swell  caused  tremors 
to  pass  through  the  thin  grey  hull,  and,  to  complete 
the  review  of  sensation,  there  may  be  added  the 
human  thrill  of  battle  and  the  indescribable  feeling 
of  controlled  power  beneath  one's  feet. 

The  C.M.B/s  record  of  service,  although  short,  is 
nevertheless  a  brilliant  one.  Towards  the  close  of 
the  year  1916  four  of  these  little  vessels  coming 
from  the  base  at  Dunkirk  intercepted  five  German 
destroyers  returning  from  a  Channel  raid.  The 
scooters  raced  towards  the  enemy  in  a  smother  of 
foam.  Every  quick-firing  gun  on  the  German 
ships  spouted  shells  at  the  mysterious  white  streaks 
approaching  them  with  the  speed  of  lightning. 
So  close  did  these  plucky  little  ships  go  to  their 
giant  adversaries  that  the  blast  of  the  German 
guns  was  felt  aboard,  but  no  shells  struck  them. 

66 


The  New  Fleets  in  Being 

Then  the  line  of  C.M.B.'s  swerved  and  their  tor- 
pedoes were  launched  at  close  range.  One  of  the 
enemy  destroyers  was  hit  and  badly  damaged, 
while  two  others  had  narrow  shaves. 

There  was  no  time  for  German  retaliation.  For 
a  brief  few  minutes  the  sea  around  the  scooters  was 
ploughed  up  by  the  shells  from  the  Hun  artillery, 
then  the  four  little  attacking  craft  were  five  miles 
distant  from  the  scene  of  their  victory,  and  pre- 
sented almost  invisible  white  specks  to  the  enemy 
gunners. 

At  Zeebrugge  these  craft  ran  close  in  under  the 
guns  of  the  shore  fortifications,  and  covered  the 
approach  of  the  landing  parties  and  block-ships 
with  a  screen  of  artificial  smoke.  At  Ostend  they 
entered  the  harbour  under  heavy  fire  and  ignited 
flares  to  enable  the  block-ships  to  navigate  in 
the  darkness.  Others,  in  the  same  operations, 
torpedoed  the  piers  and  silenced  the  guns  mounted 
thereon. 

Their  exploits  savour  of  old-time  sea  romance, 
as,  for  example,  when  the  little  Condor  ran  in  under 
the  guns  of  the  fortress  of  Alexandria,  or  further 
back  in  our  naval  history,  when  sail  and  round 
shot  took  the  place  of  petrol  and  torpedoes. 

For  anti-submarine  work  these  wonderfully  fast 
little  chasers  were  used  in  small  flotillas.  They 
were  fitted  with  short-range  wireless  sets,  and  when 
the  message  came  stating  that  a  vessel  was  being 
attacked  in  a  certain  position,  perhaps  twenty 
miles  from  the  coast,  a  number  were  instantly  re- 
leased from  the  leash,  and  in  a  fraction  of  the  time 


The  New  Fleets  in  Being 

taken  by  larger  vessels  they  were  on  the  scene  with 
torpedoes  and  Lewis  guns  for  surface  attack  and 
depth  charges  for  submerged  bombing. 

They  were  commanded,  in  many  instances,  by 
R.N.V.R.  officers  of  the  auxiliary  service,  and 
carried  two  engineers.  No  crew  was  necessary, 
nor  was  space  available  for  them.  The  plucky 
dash  of  these  vessels  into  the  harbours  of  Zeebrugge 
and  Ostend,  their  subsequent  operations  on  the 
Belgian  coast,  and  their  losses  in  the  action  at  the 
entrance  to  the  Heligoland  Bight  in  1918,  when 
they  were  launched  from  a  big  ship,  have  earned 
for  them  high  renown  in  naval  history. 

BOOM  DEFENCE  SHIPS 

In  addition  to  all  these  types  of  anti-submarine 
craft  there  were,  forming  part  of  the  auxiliary  fleet, 
over  300  ships,  mostly  trawlers  and  drifters,  en- 
gaged in  maintaining  the  great  lines  of  boom 
defences,  closing  vast  stretches  of  sheltered  waters 
frequented  by  the  battle  fleets,  and  a  considerable 
number  of  examination  ships,  staffed  by  interpreter 
officers,  whose  duty  it  was  to  examine  all  neutral 
shipping  passing  through  the  10,000  miles  of  the 
blockade. 

These,  then,  were  the  ships  of  the  new  navy, 
and  their  formation  into  flotillas,  or  units,  was 
usually  accomplished  by  grouping  four  or  five 
vessels  of  similar  type  together  under  the  command 
of  the  senior  officer  afloat — mostly  a  lieutenant 

68 


The  New  Fleets  in  Being 

R.N.R.  or  R.N.V.R.  In  the  case  of  minesweepers 
the  unit  nearly  always  consisted  of  an  even  number 
of  ships,  because  their  work  was  carried  out  in 
pairs,  and  with  M.L.'s  it  usually  consisted 
of  five  boats,  as  this  was  the  number  required 
for  the  intricate  tactical  work  of  submarine 
chasing. 

There  were,  of  course,  units  from  the  United 
States,  French,  Japanese,  Italian  and  Brazilian 
navies,  in  addition  to  the  formidable  British 
armada. 

The  auxiliary  units  were  all  based  on  one  or 
other  of  the  fifty  odd  war  stations  which  encom- 
passed not  only  the  coasts  of  Great  Britain  and 
Ireland,  but  also  the  littoral  of  every  land  in  our 
world-wide  Empire.  The  numbers  given  here  do 
not  include  the  local  fleets  of  purely  colonial  naval 
bases,  nor  the  large  flotillas  of  destroyers  and  "  P  " 
boats  operating  in  home  and  foreign  waters  in 
conjunction  with  the  auxiliary  navy.  If  these 
were  incorporated  the  anti-submarine  fleets  would 
be  almost  doubled. 

Now  that  the  reader  is  familiar  with  the  raison 
d'etre  of  the  new  navy,  the  personnel,  the  ships  and 
their  formation  into  fleets,  the  scope  and  limita- 
tions of  their  activity,  and  of  the  losses  they  sus- 
tained, the  way  is  clear  for  a  description  of  the 
curious  weapons  used,  the  mysteries  of  anti- 
submarine warfare,  and  the  bases  themselves 
before  entering  the  zone  of  war  and  seeing  some- 
thing of  the  actual  work  of  the  auxiliary  navy. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  HYDROPHONE  AND  THE  DEPTH 
CHARGE 

OF  all  the  weapons  used  in  the  anti-submarine  war 
the  two  most  important  were  the  hydrophone  and 
the  depth  charge.  They  were  employed  in  con- 
junction with  each  other  and  comprised  the  surface 
warship's  principal  means  of  offence  against  sub- 
marines operating  beneath  the  surface. 

The  hydrophone  resembles  a  delicate  telephone. 
It  is  so  constructed  that  when  the  instrument  is 
lowered  over  the  side  of  a  ship  into  the  sea  any 
noise,  such  as  the  movement  of  a  submarine's  pro- 
pellers, can  be  heard  on  deck  by  an  operator  listen- 
ing at  an  ordinary  telephone  receiver  connected 
to  the  submerged  microphone  by  an  electrified 
wire. 

There  were  many  different  types  of  hydrophone 
in  use  during  the  Great  War.  So  important  was 
this  instrument  for  the  work  of  submarine  hunting 
that  money  was  spent  in  millions,  and  a  corps  of 
naval  and  civil  experts  were  engaged  for  several 
years,  bringing  it  to  a  state  of  efficiency.  Each 
type  introduced  into  the  Service  was  an  improve- 
ment on  its  predecessor,  and  there  were  different 
patterns  for  the  use  of  almost  each  class  of  vessel. 
The  fast  destroyer  required  a  different  instrument 

70 


The  Hydrophone  and  the  Depth  Charge 

to  the  slow-moving  trawler.  The  motor  launch 
could  only  employ  successfully  a  totally  different 
type  to  the  submarine,  and,  to  add  to  the  diffi- 
culties, the  German  submarines  themselves  were 
generously  supplied  with  similar  instruments.  The 
games  of  "  hide-and-seek  "  played  on  and  under 
the  seas  with  the  aid  of  this  wonderful  little  in- 
strument would  have  been  distinctly  amusing  had 
men's  lives — and  often  those  of  women  and  children 
— not  been  dependent  upon  the  issue. 

The  portable  hydrophone,  used  by  some  of  the 
smaller  and  slower  vessels  of  the  auxiliary  fleet, 
consisted  of  a  microphone,  or  delicate  mechanical 
ear,  carefully  guarded  by  metal  discs  from  acci- 
dental damage,  and  connected  to  ear -pieces  or 
ordinary  telephone  receivers  by  an  electric  wire 
which  passed  through  a  battery.  Where  the  wire 
came  in  contact  with  the  sea  water  it  was  heavily 
insulated  and  lightly  armoured. 

When  it  was  required  to  use  this  instrument  the 
vessel  was  stopped  and  the  microphone  lowered 
overboard  to  a  depth  of  about  20  feet.  This  was 
the  distance  down  from  the  surface  at  which  sub- 
marine noises  could  be  heard  most  distinctly.  The 
operator  on  deck  or  in  the  cabin  then  adjusted  the 
ear-pieces  and  sat  listening  for  any  noises  coming 
through  the  water.  Although  the  sea  is  a  far 
better  conductor  than  air,  the  range  at  which 
sounds  could  be  heard  varied  considerably.  On  a 
calm  day  or  night  the  noise  of  a  ship's  propellers 
could  frequently  be  distinguished  at  from  five  to 
seven  miles  ;  whereas  on  a  rough  day,  with  the  sea 

7* 


The  Hydrophone  and  the  Depth  Charge 

splashing  and  the  wind  roaring,  it  was  often  diffi- 
cult to  hear  anything  beyond  half-a-mile. 

In  fine  weather  a  submarine  could  usually  be 


FIG.  6. — Diagram  showing  essential  parts  of  a  portable  hydrophone. 
A .  Head  and  ear  pieces,  by  means  of  which  a  trained  listener 
hears  submarine  sounds.  B.  Flexible  leads  to  enable  an  officer 
to  verify  reports  from  listener.  C.  Battery  box,  containing 
spare  set  of  cells.  D.  Terminals.  E.  Terminals  of  spare  cells. 
F.  Flexible  armoured  electric  cable  which  is  lowered  over  side 
of  ship.  G.  Metal  case  protecting  the  microphone  H.  H. 
Microphone  or  delicate  receiver  of  submarine  sounds,  which  is 
submerged  (when  required,  but  not  when  ship  is  moving)  to  a 
depth  of  about  18  feet,  as  in  small  diagram.  The  sound  is 
detected  by  the  microphone  and  transmitted  up  the  cable  F 
and  wires  B  to  the  ear-pieces  A . 

heard  at  a  distance  of  about  two  or  three  miles. 
There  were,  however,  many  microscopic  noises  of 
the  under-seas  which  were  picked  up  and  magnified 

72 


The  Hydrophone  and  the  Depth  Charge 

by  this  type  of  hydrophone.  They  were  called 
"  water  noises/'  and  often  made  it  extremely  diffi- 
cult to  differentiate  between  them  and  the  sound 
of  a  moving  submarine  at  a  great  distance.  Later 
types  were  not  so  prone  to  these  disturbing  in- 
fluences. 

To  describe  here  the  different  natural  and  arti- 
ficial noises  heard  on  a  portable  hydrophone  is 
extremely  difficult.  One  general  statement  can, 
however,  be  made.  It  is  the  noise  caused  by  the 
rapidly  revolving  propellers  of  both  surface  ships 
and  submarines  that  is  the  guiding  factor  in 
the  work  of  detection  by  submarine  sound.  A 
destroyer  travelling  at  full  speed  on  a  calm  sea, 
when  heard  on  a  hydrophone  resembles  the  roar 
of  a  gigantic  dynamo.  The  sound  does  not  alter 
as  the  distance  between  the  stationary  listening 
ship  and  the  fast-moving  warship  increases  or  de- 
creases ;  it  continues  to  be  a  roar  or  low  hum, 
according  to  distance,  until  it  fades  out  of  hearing 
altogether.  The  same  statement  applies  also  to  a 
slow-moving  cargo  steamer,  only  in  this  case  the 
single  propeller  is  revolving  very  much  slower,  and, 
when  listening  on  a  hydrophone  about  two  or  three 
miles  distant,  each  successive  beat  of  the  engines 
can  be  distinctly  heard. 

The  simple  movement  of  a  vessel's  hull  through 
the  water  cannot  be  heard  on  a  hydrophone. 
Therefore  for  detecting  the  presence  in  the  vicinity 
of  a  sailing  ship  at  night  or  in  a  thick  fog  this  in- 
strument is  quite  useless.  The  same  drawback 
applies  also  to  the  location  of  a  floating  derelict  or 

73 


The  Hydrophone  and  the  Depth  Charge 

iceberg,  and  restricts  the  use  of  the  hydrophone  to 
faithfully  reporting  the  presence  of  power-driven 
ships  or  special  sound  signals  at  a  range  of  a  few 
miles. 

A  German  submarine  heard  at  a  range  of  about 
a  mile  on  a  calm  night  presents  a  curious  sound 
which  almost  defies  description.  Its  principal 


FIG.  7. —  An  improved  directional  hydrophone  fitted  through  keel  of 
motor  launch.  The  tube  B,  at  the  lower  extremity  of  which  is 
the  microphone,  can  be  raised  or  lowered  from  C,  the  cabin  of 
the  M.L.  This  instrument  is  so  arranged  that  the  direction 
from  which  the  submarine  sound  is  coming  can  be  simply  and 
quickly  ascertained. 

constituent  consists  of  a  "  clankety  clank ! 
clankety  clank  !  "  at  first  barely  distinguishable 
from  the  low  swish  of  the  water  past  the  face  of 
the  submerged  microphone,  then  louder  when  the 
sound  has  been  distinguished  and  the  human  ear 
is  on  the  alert.  But  when  this  sound  was  heard  in 
war  there  was  little  time  for  analysing  or  noting. 
It  was  the  call  to  action.  The  microphone  was 
hauled  to  the  surface  and  the  chase  began,  a  halt 
being  made  every  half-mile  or  so  for  a  further 

74 


The  Hydrophone  and  the  Depth  Charge 

period  of  listening  on  the  hydrophone.  If  the 
sound  was  louder  the  commander  of  the  pursuing 
vessel  knew  that  he  was  on  the  right  track,  and  if 
the  sound  came  up  from  the  sea  more  indistinct 
the  course  was  changed  and  a  run  of  a  mile  made 
in  the  opposite  direction,  when  the  vessel  was  again 
stopped  and  the  instrument  dropped  overboard. 

Should  this  manoeuvre  have  placed  the  surface 
ship  in  close  proximity  to  the  submarine,  one  or 
more  depth  charges  were  released,  and  if  the  explo- 
sion of  these  damaged  the  comparatively  delicate 
hull  or  machinery  of  the  under-water  craft,  she  had 
either  to  rise  to  the  surface  and  fight  for  her  life 
with  her  two  powerful  deck  guns,  or,  if  badly 
damaged,  sink  helplessly  to  the  bottom,  emitting 
oil  in  large  quantities  from  her  crushed  tanks. 

Before  entering  upon  a  description  of  the  depth 
charge,  however,  there  is  more  to  say  of  the  hydro- 
phone, which  has  played  such  an  important  part  in 
the  defeat  of  the  U-boats. 

When  the  advantages  of  this  instrument  had^-* 
been  fully  demonstrated  in  the  stern  trial  of  war, 
successful  efforts  were  made  to  improve  upon  the 
original  crude  appliances.  The  "  water  noises  " 
were  reduced  and,  greatest  impiovement  of  all,  the 
hydrophone  was  made  "  directional."  By  this  is 
meant  that  when  a  sound  was  heard  its  approxi- 
mate direction  north,  south,  east  or  west  of  the 
listening  ship  could  be  more  or  less  accurately 
determined.  What  this  improvement  meant  to  a 
vessel  hunting  a  submarine  in  a  vast  stretch  of  sea 
will  be  easily  realised.  When  the  sound  came  up 

75 


The  Hydrophone  and  the  Depth  Charge 

the  wires  from  the  submerged  microphone  the 
operator  had  simply  to  turn  a  small  handle  in  order 
to  determine  from  which  direction  the  noise  was 
coming. 

If,  for  example,  the  sound  was  first  heard  away 
to  the  east,  the  instrument  was  turned  to  another 
quarter  of  the  compass.  Then,  if  the  noise  was 
plainer,  the  instrument  was  turned  again  until 
the  sound  decreased  in  intensity.  In  this  way  the 
line  of  maximum  sound  was  obtained,  and  this 


FIG.  8. — Plan  showing  how  microphones  or  ears  B  are  fitted  in  a  sub- 
marine A  to  enable  it  to  detect  the  approach  of  surface  craft. 

showed  the  direction  from  the  listening  ship  in 
which  the  U-boat  was  operating. 

With  the  perfection  of  this  invention  the  hydro- 
phone section  of  the  naval  service  came  into  being. 
Special  courses  in  the  detection  of  submarine  sounds 
were  instituted  for  officers  and  also  for  seamen 
listeners.  The  actual  movements  of  a  submarine 
under  water  at  varying  distances  from  a  hydro- 
phone were  recorded  by  a  phonograph,  and  records 
made  so  that  the  sounds  might  be  reproduced  at 
will  for  the  education  of  the  ear.  Surgeons  with 
oral  experience  estimated  the  physical  efficiency 
in  this  respect  of  would-be  volunteers  for  the 
hydrophone-listening  service,  and  vessels  were 
formed  into  special  hydrophone  flotillas,  whose 


The  Hydrophone  and  the  Depth  Charge 

duties  consisted  of  listening  in  long  lines  for  sub- 
marines and  when  a  discovery  was  made  attacking 
them  in  the  most  approved  tactical  formation, 
with  the  aid  of  depth  charges  and  guns. 

A  considerable  measure  of  success  attended  these 
arrangements,  and  the  author  spent  many  cold 
hours  listening  at  night  for  the  sound  of  the  wily 
submarine.  On  more  than  one  occasion  an  excit- 
ing chase  resulted. 

It  must,  however,  be  pointed  out  that  there  is 
one  great  drawback  to  the  successful  use  of  the 
hydrophone.  It  exists  in  the  necessity  for  the 
listening  ship  to  stop  before  the  hydrophone  is 
hoisted  outboard,  it  being  quite  impossible  to  hear 
anything  beyond  the  roar  of  the  engines  of  the 
carrying  ship  so  long  as  they  are  in  motion. 
Furthermore,  all  progress  through  the  water  must 
have  ceased  and  the  listening  ship  have  become 
stationary  before  artificial  sounds,  such  as  the  pro- 
pellers of  a  submarine,  can  be  distinguished  from 
the  natural  noises  of  the  sea  water. 

Now  it  will  at  once  be  apparent  that  not  only 
does  a  stationary  ship  offer  a  splendid  target  for 
under-water  attack,  but  also  it  allows  a  somewhat 
humorous  game  of  hide-and-seek  to  be  played  be- 
tween a  hunting  vessel  and  a  hunted  submarine. 

Nearly  all  U-boats  were  fitted  with  a  number  of 
hydrophones  and  therefore  were  as  well  able  to 
receive  timely  warning  of  an  approaching  surface 
ship  as  the  surface  ship  was  of  the  presence  of  the 
submarine.  But  the  surface  ship  had  the  advant- 
age of  speed. 

77 


The  Hydrophone  and  the  Depth  Charge 

The  result  of  all  this  was  that  when  a  German 
submarine  heard  a  surface  vessel  approaching  she 
dived  to  the  bottom,  if  the  water  was  not  too  deep 
or  the  sea-bed  too  rocky.  Then  shutting  off  her 
engines  she  listened.  The  surface  ship,  mystified 
by  the  sudden  cessation  of  the  noise  she  had  been 
pursuing,  also  waited,  and  this  stagnation  some- 
times lasted  for  hours.  Then  if  the  surface  ship 
moved,  as  she  was  often  compelled  to  do  in  order 
to  avoid  drifting  with  the  tide  away  from  the 
locality,  the  submarine  moved  also,  and  the  one 
that  stopped  her  engines  first  detected  the  other, 
but  could  not  catch  up  to  her  again  without 
deafening  her  own  listening  appliance.  In  which 
case  the  next  move  would  probably  be  in  favour  of 
her  opponent. 

All  of  this  is,  perhaps,  a  little  complicated,  but 
a  moment's  pause  for  reflection  will  make  this 
curious  situation  clear  to  the  reader.  And  so  the 
game  went  on,  with  decisive  advantage  to  neither 
the  surface  ship  nor  the  submarine.  Darkness 
usually  intervened  and  put  an  end  to  further 
manoeuvring,  frequently  allowing  the  submarine 
to  escape. 

A  case  of  this  kind  occurred  to  a  vessel,  of  a 
certain  hydrophone  flotilla,  commanded  by  the 
author.  For  over  four  hours  the  U-boat  eluded 
the  pursuing  surface  ships  by  moving  only  when 
they  moved  and  stopping  when  they  too  had 
stopped,  darkness  and  a  rising  sea  eventually 
favouring  the  escape  of  the  submarine,  which,  a 
few  hours  later,  was  able  to  attack  (unsuccessfully) 


The  Hydrophone  and  the  Depth  Charge 

a  big  surface  ship  less  than  thirty  miles  distant 
from  the  scene. 

Nevertheless  the  hydrophone  is  a  submarine 
instrument  with  a  brilliant  future.  It  has  already 
been  improved  out  of  all  resemblance  to  its  original 
self,  and  more  will  undoubtedly  follow.  It  is, 
however,  purely  an  appliance  for  the  detection  of 
submarines  when  cruising  beneath  the  surface,  and 
not  a  weapon  tor  their  destruction.  It  should  also 
be  remembered  that  any  improvement  made  in  the 
efficiency  of  the  hydrophone  will  benefit  not  only 
the  surface  ship,  but  also  the  submarine,  for  it 
cannot  be  supposed  that  under-water  craft  will 
be  left  without  these  wonderful  submarine  ears 
when  their  surface  destroyers  are  equipped  with 
them. 

The  alliance  between  the  hydrophone  and  the 
depth  charge  is  a  natural  one.  The  former  in- 
strument enables  the  surface  ship  to  discover,  first, 
the  presence  of  a  submarine  in  the  vicinity,  and, 
secondly,  its  approximate  position.  At  this  point 
its  utility  temporarily  ceases  and  that  of  the  depth 
charge  begins.  When  a  surface  ship  is  hot  on 
the  track  of  a  moving  submarine  she  endeavours 
to  attain  a  position  directly  over  the  top  of  her 
quarry,  or  even  a  little  ahead,  and  then  releases 
one  or  more  depth  charges  according  to  whether 
the  chance  of  a  hit  is  good  or  only  poor. 

From  this  it  will  be  apparent  that  whereas  the 
hydrophone  is  the  instrument  used  for  the  initial 
detection  of  the  submarine,  and  afterwards  for 
enabling  the  surface  ship  to  get  to  close  quarters 

79 


The  Hydrophone  and  the  Depth  Charge 

with  her  submerged  adversary,  it  is  the  depth 
charge  with  which  the  attack  is  actually  made. 

This  weapon  is  really  a  powerful  submarine 
bomb.  It  consists  of  several  hundred  pounds  of 
very  high  explosive  encased  in  a  steel  shell,  with  a 
special  firing  device  which  can  quickly  be  set  so 
that  the  charge  explodes  at  almost  any  depth 
below  the  surface  after  being  released  from  the 
above-water  vessel. 

The  methods  in  use  during  the  war  for  its 
release  from  the  decks  of  surface  ships  were  very 
diverse,  the  most  usual  being  for  a  number  of 
these  weapons  to  be  fitted  on  slides  and  held  in 
place  by  wire  slings  which  could  be  released  by 
simply  pulling  out  a  greased  pin  or  bolt. 

When  the  depth  charge  rolled  off  the  stern  of 
the  surface  ship  it  sank  to  the  "  set  depth  "  and 
then  exploded  like  a  submarine  mine.  The  result 
was  a  shattering  effect  exerted  through  the  water 
for  several  hundred  feet  around.  If  the  submarine 
was  close  to  the  explosion  her  comparatively  thin 
plates  were  nearly  always  stove-in.  When  she 
was  over  a  hundred  feet  away,  however,  the 
rivets  holding  her  plates  together  were  often 
loosened,  and  the  resulting  leak  frequently  com- 
pelled her  to  come  to  the  surface,  where  she  could 
be  destroyed  by  gun-fire. 

It  often  happened,  however,  that  neither  one 
nor  the  other  of  these  things  occurred,  but  that 
the  submarine's  delicate  electrical  machinery  was 
thrown  out  of  order  by  the  violence  of  a  depth- 
charge  explosion,  even  when  a  considerable 

80 


The  Hydrophone  and  the  Depth  Charge 

distance  away.  With  the  electric  engines  used 
for  submerged  propulsion  no  longer  available,  and 
possibly  the  interior  of  the  vessel  in  darkness, 
there  were  only  two  courses  open.  She  could 
either  rise  to  the  surface  and  endeavour  to  fight  it 
out  with  the  aid  of  her  powerful  deck  guns,  or  else 
sink  to  the  bottom  and  trust  to  luck  that  other 
depth  charges  would  not  be  dropped  close  enough 
to  seriously  damage  her  hull.  In  the  open  sea, 
however,  the  latter  chance  was  denied  because  of 
the  depth  of  water.  Three  hundred  feet  may  be 
taken  as  the  greatest  depth  to  which  an  ordinarily 
constructed  fighting  submarine  can  safely  descend 
without  running  a  grave  risk  of  having  her  plates 
crushed  in  by  the  great  water  pressure.  Even  at 
this  depth  the  weight  on  every  square  foot  of  hull 
surface  exceeds  8f  tons. 

If  the  damaged  submarine  rose  to  the  surface 
the  guns  of  her  pursuers  were  ready  and  could 
generally  be  relied  upon  to  place  her  at  least  hors 
de  combat  before  the  hatches  of  the  under -water 
vessel  could  be  opened  and  her  own  guns  brought 
into  action. 

In  shallow  water  where  there  was  a  fairly  smooth 
bottom  it  generally  happened  that  a  submarine 
damaged  by  depth  charges  elected  to  sink  to  the 
sea-bed  and  trust  to  luck.  This  was  also  fre- 
quently resorted  to  as  a  means  of  eluding  pursuit 

,  even  when  the  U-boat  was  not  damaged  by  the  first 
few  charges  dropped.     It  was  then  that  the  hydro- 

i  phones  carried  by  the  surface  ships  were  again 
brought  into  use  to  ascertain  if  the  submarine  was 
F  81 


The  Hydrophone  and  the  Depth  Charge 

still  under  way.  When  no  sound  was  heard  those 
on  the  surface  knew  that  "  Fritz  "  was  lying  doggo, 
or  else  that  he  had  escaped.  If  a  number  of  ships 


FIG  9. —  Diagram  showing  how  depth  charges  are  carried  on  the  stern 
of  a  motor  launch.  A  A.  Depth  charges,  each  containing  300  Ib. 
of  high  explosive.  B.  Hydrostatic  device  by  means  of  which  the 
charge  can  be  made  to  explode  when  it  has  sunk  from  the  surface 
to  a  depth  of  40  or  80  feet,  and  by  which  it  is  rendered  compara- 
tively safe  while  on  deck.  C.  Slings  holding  charges  in  place  on 
inclined  platform.  D.  Greased  bolts  which,  on  being  pulled  out, 
allow  wire  slings  to  fly  free  and  depth  charge  to  roll  into  the  sea. 
Depth  charges  can  only  be  released  from  vessels  under  way, 
otherwise  the  explosion  which  occurs  a  few  seconds  after  release 
damages  surface  vessel. 

were  available  a  few  waited  over  the  spot  where  it 
was  considered  the  U-boat  was  lying,  while  the  others 
scoured  the  surrounding  seas  in  circles  trying  to] 
pick  up  the  sound  of  the  runaway's  engines  if  she 
had  escaped  in  the  melee.'    When  nothing  further 

82 


The  Hydrophone  and  the  Depth  Charge 

was  heard  they  returned  to  the  scene  and  set 
about  the  work  of  systematically  bombing  the 
surrounding  sea-bed. 

As  many  as  one  hundred  depth  charges  were 
dropped  in  quite  a  small  area  of  sea  and  yet  a 


c  o 

G 


o  t 


o 
.0... 


B 


FIG.  10. — Diagram  illustrating  a  depth-charge  attack  on  a  sub- 
merged submarine.  A.  Motor  launch,  which  has  dropped  a 
depth  charge  to  destroy  a  submarine  B  travelling  at  a  depth 
of  90  feet  below  the  surface.  C  is  the  depth  charge  sinking  as 
the  M.L.  steams  away  from  the  danger  area.  D  is  the  point 
(80  feet  below  the  surface)  at  which  it  will  explode,  and  E 
indicates  the  danger  area  for  the  submarine  B. 

submarine  known  to  have  been  lying  "  doggo  " 
in  the  locality  was  not  damaged.  In  cases  such 
as  this  other  means,  which  will  be  described  in  a 
succeeding  chapter,  were  then  resorted  to. 

All   the  foregoing  sounds   very  thorough  and 
hopeful,   but   in  fairness   it    must   be    said   that 

83 


The  Hydrophone  and  the  Depth  Charge 

submarine  hunting  is  a  heart-breaking  task.  The 
reader  may  have  noticed  that  the  method  of  depth- 
charge  attack  presupposes  the  surface  vessel  to 
have  attained  a  position  almost  directly  over  the 
top  of  her  enemy,  a  manoeuvre  extremely  difficult 
of  achievement  even  with  the  most  efficient  hydro- 
phone. Heavy  seas,  snow  and  fog  have  also  to  be 
taken  into  consideration,  to  say  nothing  of  dark- 
ness, the  presence  of  a  second  submarine,  a  surf- 
beaten  rock  or  sandbank  and  the  confusing  sounds 
of  passing  merchant  ships,  making  a  difficult  task 
more  difficult,  as  will  be  seen  when  we  come  to  the 
actual  fighting. 


CHAPTER  VI 

SOME  CURIOUS  WEAPONS  OF  ANTI-SUBMARINE 
WARFARE 

ALTHOUGH  modern  war  has  shown  that  there 
exists  no  certain  antidote  for  the  submarine,  it 
nevertheless  brought  into  being  many  curious 
weapons  of  attack  and  defence.  It  is  the  purpose 
of  this  chapter  to  describe  some  of  the  anti- 
submarine devices  used  with  more  or  less  success- 
ful results  during  the  protracted  naval  operations 
against  the  Central  Powers. 

INDICATOR  NETS 

Among  the  most  important  of  these  were  the  im- 
mense meshes  of  wire  known  as  "  indicator  nets/' 
which  were  used  to  entangle  a  submarine  and  then 
to  proclaim  her  movements  to  surface  ships  waiting 
to  attack  with  guns  and  depth  charges. 

These  nets  were  made  of  specially  light  but 
strong  wire,  with  a  mesh  of  several  feet.  They 
were  joined  together  in  lengths  of  100  feet  by 
metal  clips  which  opened  when  a  certain  strain  was 
exerted  on  any  particular  section.  Their  depth 
was  usually  about  50  feet,  and  they  were  laid  in 
lengths  varying  from  a  few  hundred  yards  to  two 
miles.  Weights  at  the  lower  end  and  invisible 

85 


Some  Curious  Weapons  of 

glass   floats  along  the   top  held  them  suspended 


FIG  ii. — Diagram  showing  principal  features  of  a  line  of  submerged 
indicator  nets.  A  A.  Two  sections  (100  feet  in  breadth)  of  thin 
wire-netting  with  a  very  wide  mesh.  B.  Framework  of  wire  rope 
holding  each  section  of  net  in  place  by  means  of  metal  clips  C. 
C.  Metal  clips  which  expand  and  release  netting  from  rope  frame 
when  a  pull  of  more  than  100  Ib.  is  exerted  upon  them.  D.  Line 
of  invisible  glass  balls,  or  hollow  floats,  attached  to  a  surface  wire 
E,  supporting  by  wires  F,  the  nets  which  hang  down  from  the 
surface  vertically  in  long  lines  (J  to  i  mile  in  length  and  50  feet 
deep).  G.  Heavy  iron  weights  or  sinkers  holding  down  the  nets 
by  their  weight  when  hanging  in  water.  H.  Wooden  floats,  attached 
to  each  section  of  net  by  wires  /.  /.  Canisters  of  chemical 
which  give  off  flame  and  smoke  when  exposed  to  sea-water. 
K.  Lanyard  attached  to  surface  wire  E.  When  a  section  of  net 
is  pulled  out  of  its  wire  frame  by  a  submarine  passing  through  the 
line  the  float  is  dragged  along  the  surface  by  the  wire  7.  The 
lanyard  is  held  back  by  being  attached  to  surface  wire  E,  and  pulls 
a  plug  out  of  the  canister  /,  exposing  the  chemical  inside  to  the 
sea-water  (see  Fig.  12). 

vertically  from  the  surface.     The  floats  were  kept 

86 


Anti-Submarine  Warfare 

in  place  by  a  wire  hawser  running  along  the  top 
of  the  nets,  and  to  this  were  attached,  at  intervals, 
wooden  buoys  containing  tin  cases  filled  with  a 
chemical  compound  which,  when  brought  into 
contact  with  sea-water,  emitted  dense  smoke  by 
day  and  flame  by  night. 

The  loo-feet  sections  were  linked  together,  and 
to  the  top  and  bottom  ropes,  by  the  metal  clips. 
These  clips  opened  when  a  submarine  headed  into 
that  part  of  the  line.  The  result  was  that  a  section 
of  net  enveloped  the  bow  of  the  under -water  craft, 
was  detached  from  the  line  and  carried  along, 
dragging  its  indicator  float  on  the  surface  behind. 

The  indicator  float,  containing  the  chemical,  Was 
attached  (i)  to  the  section  of  net  by  a  short  wire 
and  (2)  to  the  top  rope  of  the  whole  line  by  a 
lanyard,  which,  when  pulled  free,  exposed  the 
chemical  contents  of  the  canisters  in  the  float  to 
the  sea -water.  The  float  was  then  dragged  along 
the  surface  burning  furiously. 

As  there  was  nothing  to  materially  impede  her 
progress,  a  submarine  would  consequently  be  un- 
aware that  she  had  passed  through  a  line  of  nets 
and  was  actually  towing  a  flaming  buoy.  Even  if 
she  became  aware  of  the  tell-tale  appendage  it 
would  be  extremely  difficult  to  clear  herself,  owing 
to  the  forward  hydroplanes  becoming  entangled  in 
the  wire-netting,  before  the  fast  surface  ships, 
waiting  in  readiness,  had  spotted  the  flaming  buoy 
being  towed  along  and  were  hot  in  pursuit. 

Once  entangled  in  such  a  net,  the  submarine's 
chance  of  avoiding  destruction  was  small  Not 

87 


Some  Curious  Weapons  of 

only  did  the  indicator  buoy  proclaim  her  every 
movement  to  the  pursuing  surface  ships,  so  that 
she  could  not  avoid  them  by  turning,  sinking  to  the 
bottom  or  doubling  in  her  tracks,  but  it  also  enabled 
depth  charges  to  be  literally  dropped  on  her  decks. 
A  considerable  measure  of  success  attended  the 
use  of  this  ingenious  device  until  "  Fritz  "  became 


FIG  12. — Diagram  showing  a  submarine  entangled  in  a  submerged 
net.  The  submarine  A  after  passing  through  a  line  of  nets  emerges 
with  her  bows  enveloped  by  one  section  B  which  she  has  carried 
out  of  its  wire-rope  frame.  The  flaming  buoy  C,  betraying  her 
movements,  is  being  towed  along  the  surface. 

shy  of  waters  close  inshore,  and  kept  a  careful 
look-out  for  possible  lines  of  indicator  nets  when 
forced  to  pass  through  narrow  channels  and  water- 
ways. One  of  the  main  disadvantages  attending 
the  use  of  these  nets  was  the  impossibility  of  laying 
them — or,  when  laid,  of  hauling  them  inboard 
again,  during  even  moderately  rough  seas.  Another 
difficulty  which  presented  itself  when  indicator 


Anti-Submarine  Warfare 

nets  were  required  to  be  laid  in  the  open  sea  was 
the  screening  of  the  waiting  surface  ships  from 
observation.  Submarines  could  not  be  used  on 
account  of  their  slow  speed,  and  when  fast  patrol 
craft  cruised  about  openly  within  easy  range  of 
the  nets  "  Fritz  "  suspected  a  trap  and  steered 
clear.  Even  this,  however,  had  its  uses. 


MINE  NETS 

It  was  sought  to  overcome  this  difficulty  by  at- 
taching small  explosive  mines  to  the  nets  instead 
of  indicator  floats,  so  that  when  a  submarine  passed 
through  a  line  she  unavoidably  struck  one  or  other 
of  the  attached  mines,  which  instantly  exploded. 

This  device  also  proved  fairly  successful,  but 
the  dangers  of  handling  mined  nets  were  consider- 
able and  disasters  resulted.  Furthermore,  as  such 
obstructions  could  not  be  securely  moored  in  one 
spot  for  very  long,  owing  to  the  action  of  gales 
and  strong  tides,  it  became  necessary  for  the  sake 
of  neutral  and  allied  shipping  to  maintain  a  vessel 
in  the  vicinity  from  which  warnings  could  be  issued 
and  repairs  to  the  nets  effected.  This  partly  de- 
feated the  object  of  mined  nets,  except  for  the 
closing  of  narrow  fair -ways,  and  their  scope  as  a 
weapon  of  attack  became  strictly  limited. 

THE  MODIFIED  SWEEP 

This  elaborate  and  costly  anti-submarine  device 
was  very  widely,  but  not  altogether  successfully 


Some  Curious  Weapons  of 

employed  by  the  auxiliary  fleet  during  the  first 
two  years  of  war.  It  was  nothing  more  than  a 
long  explosive  tail  towed  submerged  by  a  surface 
ship,  the  object  being  to  either  drag  it  over  a  sub- 
marine resting  on  the  sea-bed,  or  else,  if  the  under- 
water craft  was  moving,  to  so  manoeuvre  the  towing 
surface  ship  as  to  swing  the  tail  close  to  the  U-boat, 
When  the  heavy  charges  of  T.N.T.  attached  to  the 


FIG.  13. — Diagram  showing  a  vessel  towing  a  modified  sweep.  This 
appliance  consists  of  an  armoured  electric  cable  G  towed  in  vertical 
loop  under  the  surface.  The  floats  D  support  the  loo-lb.  charges 
E,  which  have  strikers  attached.  If  a  submarine  B  is  lying 
"  doggo  "  on  the  sea-bed  one  or  other  of  these  charges  may  strike 
her  hull  and  the  whole  line  then  blows  up,  shattering  everything 
in  the  surrounding  sea.  If  the  strikers  fitted  on  the  charges  do  not 
touch  the  submarine  the  whole  line  can  be  exploded  at  will  from 
the  surface  ship  by  closing  an  electric  circuit. 

armoured  electric  cable,  forming  the  tail,  would  be 
exploded  either  by  actual  contact  with  the  hull 
of  the  enemy,  or,  when  sufficiently  close  to  be 
effective,  by  the  closing  of  a  firing  circuit  on  board 
the  surface  ship. 

Excellent  in  theory  but  very  difficult  of  accom- 
plishment in  actual  practice.  The  diagram  given 
will  explain  the  details  of  this  elaborate  contriv- 
ance, which,  however,  was  soon  discarded  for  more 

90 


Anti-Submarine  Warfare 

practical  methods,  although  at  least  one  German 
submarine  is  known  to  have  been  destroyed  by  it. 


LANCE  BOMBS 

These  little  engines  of  destruction  were  intended 
for  fighting  at  close  quarters,  and  can  be  described 
here  in  a  few  lines  because  of  their  guileless  sim- 
plicity. They  consisted  of  conical  explosive  bombs 
on  the  ends  of  broom  handles  !  A  strong  man 


FIG.  14. — A  lance  bomb.  The  wooden  handle  A  enables  the 
charge  B  (7  Ib.  of  high  explosive)  to  be  whirled  round  the 
head  and  hurled  a  distance  of  about  twenty  yards. 

could  whirl  one  of  them  round  his  head,  like  a 
two-handed  sword  or  battle-axe,  and,  when  the 
momentum  was  sufficient,  hurl  it  over  the  water 
for  about  seventy-five  feet.  On  nose-diving  into 
the  sea  and  hitting  the  hull  of  a  submarine  in  the 
act  of  rising  or  plunging,  the  little  bomb,  contain- 
ing about  7  Ib.  of  amatol,  was  exploded  by 
contact. 

The  damage  inflicted  on  one  of  the  earlier  types 
of  submarines  by  an  under-water  hand-grenade  or 
lance  bomb  depended  entirely  upon  what  part  of 
the  vessel  happened  to  be  struck.  Their  sphere 
of  usefulness  was,  from  the  first,  very  limited,  and 
the  advent  of  the  big  cruiser  submarine,  with 
armoured  conning-tower  and  5 -inch  guns,  rendered 
them  obsolete. 


Some  Curious  Weapons  of 

SMOKE  SCREENS 

We  now  come  to  a  more  useful  device  of  the 
purely  defensive  type  employed  to  screen  surface 
ships  from  submarine  attack.  The  very  simple 
mechanical  and  chemical  apparatus  needed  for 
making  the  heavy  clouds  of  smoke  needs  no  de- 
scription beyond  that  given  in  the  text,  but 
something  must  be  said  here  regarding  the  methods 
of  use. 

It  was  not  until  the  third  year  of  the  Great  War 
had  been  ushered  in  by  the  unprecedented  sinking 
of  Allied  merchantmen  by  German  U-boats  that 
the  value  of  the  smoke  screen  as  a  means  of 
baffling  an  under -water  attack  was  fully  realised. 
Convoy  guards  were  supplied  with  the  necessary 
appliances  for  emitting  the  fumes  with  which  to 
cover  the  movements  of  the  ships  under  their 
protection,  and  so  successful  was  this  method  of 
blinding  attacking  submarines  that  within  a  few 
months  thousands  of  transports,  food-ships  and 
warships  had  been  equipped. 

When  a  submarine  proclaimed  her  presence  in 
the  vicinity  of  a  convoy  either  by  showing  too 
much  of  her  periscope  or  by  a  misdirected  torpedo, 
the  guard-ships  on  the  flank  attacked  immediately 
dropped  their  smoke  buoys  as  they  continued 
moving  at  full  speed.  By  this  means  an  impene- 
trable optical  barrier  was  interposed  between  the 
attacking  submarine  and  the  fleet  of  merchantmen 
under  convoy.  When  thus  shielded  from  attack — 
a  submarine  values  her  small  stock  of  torpedoes 

92 


Anti-Submarine  Warfare 

(six  to  ten)  too  highly  to  risk  the  loss  of  one  or  more 
on  something  she  cannot  even  see — the  mercantile 
fleet  altered  course  so  as  to  present  their  sterns  to 
the  attacking  U-boat,  while  certain  prearranged 
warships  belonging  to  the  escort  proceeded  to  the 
attack  with  guns  and  depth  charges. 

This  means  of  masking  the  movements  of  ships 
— by  no  means  new  in  naval  warfare — was  em- 
ployed with  conspicuous  success  in  the  operations 
of  Allied  squadrons  off  Zeebrugge.  Individual 
merchantmen,  when  attacked  by  one  or  more 
submarines,  often  threw  out  a  smoke  screen  to 
avoid  destruction  by  the  big  surface  guns  of  the 
more  modem  German  craft,  and  its  use  to  cover 
the  movements  of  transports  was  very  frequently 
resorted  to. 


CAMOUFLAGE 

The  use  of  camouflage,  or  the  deceptive  painting 
and  rigging  of  ships,  came  first  into  being  owing  to 
the  method  employed  by  submarines  for  judging 
the  speed  of  passing  surface  ships  by  the  v/hite 
wave  thrown  off  from  their  bows.  It  is  of  the 
utmost  importance  for  the  commander  of  an  under- 
water warship  to  correctly  judge  the  speed  of  the 
vessel  he  is  about  to  attack  before  discharging  a 
torpedo  at  her.  If  the  estimated  speed  is  too  high 
the  torpedo  will,  in  all  probability,  pass  ahead  of 
the  moving  target,  and  if  it  is  too  low  it  will  run 
harmlessly  astern. 

To  cause  this  to  happen  as  frequently  as  possible, 

93 


Some  Curious  Weapons  of 

and  valuable  torpedoes  to  be  wasted — even  if  the 
attacking  submarine  herself  could  not  then  be 
discovered  and  destroyed — it  became  advisable  to 
paint  imitation  white  waves  on  the  bows  of  slow- 
moving  ships  in  order  to  give  the  appearance  of 
speed. 

So  successful  was  this  simple  form  of  deceptive 
paint-work  that  a  special  camouflage  section  of  the 


FIG.  15. — A  camouflaged  ship.  It  will  be  observed  that  a  vessel 
so  painted  would,  from  a  distance  of  several  miles,  give  the 
appearance  of  a  ship  sinking  while  headed  in  the  opposite 
direction. 

naval  service,  with  an  eminent  artist  as  its  director, 
was  formed,  and  all  kinds  of  grotesque  designs  were 
painted  on  the  broadsides  and  superstructures  of 
almost  every  British  merchantman  operating  in 
the  submarine  danger  zone. 

There  was  method  and  meaning  in  the  seemingly 
haphazard  streaks  of  black,  green,  blue  and  white. 
When  looked  at  from  close  range  only  a  jumble 
of  colours  could  at  first  be  seen,  but  if  the  distance 
was  increased  the  effect  became  instantly  apparent. 
In  some  cases  the  deceptive  decoration  caused  big 
ocean  liners  to  appear  small  and  insignificant.  In 
others  it  gave  the  appearance  that  the  vessel  was 

94 


Anti-Submarine  Warfare 

sinking  ;  while  quite  a  favourite  ruse  was  to  cause 
the  vessel  to  appear  as  if  she  was  travelling  in  the 
opposite  direction  to  that  which  she  really  was. 
Two-funnelled  ships  became  single-funnelled,  when 
viewed  from  a  distance  or  in  a  dim  light,  by  the 
simple  expedient  of  painting  one  funnel  black  and 
the  other  light  grey.  Liners  with  tiers  of  passenger 
decks  had  the  latter  obscured  by  contrasts  of 
colouring  which  were  really  masterpieces  of  de- 
ceptive art.  In  fact  so  deceptive  became  almost 
every  ship  in  the  dim  light  of  dawn  and  dusk  that 
collisions  were  often  narrowly  averted. 

It  frequently  occurred  that  paint  alone  was  not 
sufficient  to  disguise  a  ship,  and  woodwork  and 
canvas  were  resorted  to.  Big  guns  were  made  of 
drain-pipes  and  shields  of  the  wood  from  packing- 
cases.  Cargo  boats  were  given  the  appearance  of 
cruisers,  and  cruisers  reduced  to  the  appearance  of 
cargo  boats.  In  this  way  hostile  submarines  were 
induced  to  attack  ships,  thinking  them  unarmed 
and  helpless,  when  in  reality  they  were  small  float- 
ing forts.  But  at  this  point  simple  camouflage 
ceases  and  the  famous  Mystery  Ship  begins.  Before 
closing  this  chapter,  however,  it  must  be  pointed 
out  that  camouflage  only  came  into  being  when 
the  German  U-boats  commenced  their  ruthless 
submarine  warfare. 


95 


CHAPTER  VII 
MYSTERY  SHIPS 

THE  "  Q"  boat,  or  mystery  ship,  has  been  sur- 
rounded by  so  much  secrecy  that  to  most  people 
its  very  being  is  an  unknown  quantity.  Yet  it  is 
to  these  curious  vessels  of  all  sizes  and  types  that 
the  destruction  of  many  hostile  submarines  was 
due,  and  the  dangerous  work  performed  by  their 
intrepid  crews  equalled  anything  described  in 
sea  romance. 

The  mystery  ship  was  not  a  specially  constructed 
war  vessel,  such  as  a  destroyer  or  cruiser,  but 
merely  a  merchantman  converted  into  a  power- 
fully armed  patrol  ship,  camouflaged  to  give  the 
appearance  of  genuine  innocence,  but  with  masked 
batteries,  hulls  stuffed  with  wood  to  render  them 
almost  unsinkable,  hidden  torpedo  tubes,  picked 
gunners,  a  roving  commission  and  a  daring  com- 
mander and  crew.  Their  work  was  performed  on 
the  broad  highways  of  the  sea,  and  they  hunted 
singly  or  in  pairs,  often  fighting  against  over- 
whelming odds  with  certain  death  as  the  price  of 
failure. 

The  number  of  these  vessels  was  not  large, 
possibly  180,  but  their  operations  extended 
far  and  wide.  They  roamed  the  North  Sea,  the 
Atlantic,  the  English  Channel,  the  Mediterranean, 


Thornycroft  <5^  Co.,  Ltd. 

INNOCENT  LOOKING  HUT  DEADLY,   H.M.S.   "HYDERABAD" 

The  famous  "  Mys'ery  Ship,"  p  >vverfjlly  built  to  resemble  a  he'pless  merchantman, 
'itting  almost  flat  on  the  surface  of  the  s>a  the  torpedoes  from  U-boits  ran  harmlessly 


Sitting 

beneath  her  keel. 


Thorny  croft  &>  Co.,  Ltd. 


Mystery  Ships 

the  Arctic  Ocean  and  even  the  Baltic,  but  until 
challenged  were  quite  unknown  to  all  other  vessels 
of  the  Allied  navies.  Theirs  was  a  secret  service, 
performed  amidst  great  hardships,  with  no  popular 
applause  to  spur  them  on. 

As  all  "  Q  "  boats — as  they  were  officially  called 
— differed  from  each  other  in  size  and  armament, 
any  description  given  here  can  only  be  taken  as 
applying  to  one  or  more  vessels  with  which  the 
writer  was  personally  familiar.  Some  of  these 
so-called  mystery  ships  were  old  sailing  schooners, 
others  fine  steamships,  while  quite  a  number  were 
converted  fishing  smacks,  drifters  and  trawlers, 
the  method  being  to  give  the  prospective  com- 
mander a  free  hand  in  the  conversion  of  his  ship 
from  a  peaceable  merchantman  to  a  camouflaged 
man-of-war,  and  many  were  the  ingenious  devices 
used. 

One  vessel  fitted  out  for  this  desperate  duty  at 
a  Scottish  base  was  a  steamer  of  about  400  tons 
burden.  She  was  armed  with  a  47  quick-firing 
gun  hidden  in  a  deck-house  with  imitation  glass 
windows,  the  sides  of  which  could  be  dropped  flat 
on  to  the  deck  for  the  gun  to  be  trained  outboard 
by  simply  pressing  an  electric  button  on  the 
steamer's  bridge.  Two  life-boats,  one  on  each  side 
of  the  aft  deck,  were  bottomless,  and  formed  covers 
for  two  additional  12 -pounder  guns.  A  false  deck 
in  the  bow  shielded  a  pair  of  wicked-looking  torpedo 
tubes,  each  containing  an  i8-inch  Whitehead  ready 
for  launching  ;  and  the  crew  for  each  gun  were 
able  to  reach  their  respective  weapons,  without 
G  97 


Mystery  Ships 

appearing  on  deck,  by  means  of  specially  con- 
structed gangways  and  hatches.  The  very  act  of 
dropping  the  sides  of  the  aft  gun-house  hoisted 
the  White  Ensign,  and  technically  converted  this 
unsuspicious-looking  merchantman,  which  asked 
only  to  be  allowed  to  pursue  its  lawful  vocation 
on  the  high  seas,  into  a  heavily  armed  warship. 

This  "  Q  "  boat  had,  when  met  and  challenged 
by  the  writer's  ship,  already  accounted  for  no  less 
than  three  German  submarines  which  had  opened 
the  attack  from  close  range,  thinking  her  defence- 
less. 

Another  smaller  mystery  ship  was  a  converted 
fishing  drifter  with  a  single  12 -pounder  gun  on  a 
specially  strengthened  platform  fitted  in  the  fish- 
hold,  which  had  been  cleaned,  matchboarded  and 
painted  to  provide  accommodation  for  the  crew  of 
picked  gunners.  This  little  ship  had  no  torpedo 
tubes  and  the  muzzle  of  her  gun  was  hidden  be- 
neath fishing  nets. 

There  were,  however,  some  very  large  and 
elaborately  fitted  "  Q  "  boats.  These  had  specially 
constructed  torpedo  tubes  low  down  in  the  hull, 
masked  4*  7-inch  guns  in  more  than  one  position, 
special  chutes  for  depth  charges,  coal  bunkers 
arranged  round  the  vital  machinery  to  protect  it 
from  shell-fire,  and,  moreover,  were  filled  with 
wood  to  make  them  almost  unsinkable  even  if 
torpedoed. 

Each  such  vessel  was  provided  with  a  "  panic 
party/'  whose  duty  was  to  rush  to  the  life-boats 
When  the  ship  was  attacked  by  a  submarine.  This 


Mystery  Ships 

gave  the  final  touch  to  the  disguise,  and  often 
induced  the  submarine  to  save  further  torpedoes 
by  coming  to  the  surface  and  continuing  the 
assault  with  gun-fire. 

The  story  of  the  sinking  of  the  last  German  sub- 


FlG.  16. — Method  of  masking  a  3,  6,  12  or  13  pounder  gun.  A.  Stern 
of  ship.  B.  Shield  constructed  to  resemble  a  life-boat  which 
can  be  raised  or  lowered  over  gun  C. 

marine  in  the  war  by  the  "  Q  19  "  will  give  some 
idea  of  how  these  vessels  worked.  It  occurred  in 
the  Straits  of  Gibraltar,  about  twenty-four  hours 
before  the  signing  of  the  Armistice.  The  Q  19 
was  waiting  in  the  Straits  expecting  to  intercept 
three  big  U-boats  on  their  way  back  to  Heligoland. 
About  midnight  the  first  of  these  craft  came  along, 

99 


Mystery  Ships 

and  sighting  the  innocent -looking  "  Q  "  boat  pre- 
pared to  attack  her  with  gun-fire.  For  nearly  an 
hour  the  mystery  ship  "  played  "  the  submarine 
by  pretending  to  make  frantic  efforts  to  escape, 
but  all  the  time  allowing  the  under -water  craft  to 
draw  closer  and  closer. 

The  "  Q  "  boat  was  under  a  heavy  fire  from  the 
submarine,  one  shell  wounding  eleven  out  of  the 
crew  of  sixty,  another  carrying  away  the  mast  and 
a  portion  of  the  funnel,  but  no  sign  of  a  gun  was 
yet  displayed  on  board  the  surface  ship.  This 
withholding  of  fire  until  the  last  moment,  when 
the  range  has  become  short  and  the  effect  certain, 
is  one  of  the  great  nerve  tests  imposed  on  the  crews 
of  all  mystery  ships.  It  is  an  essential  of  success, 
for  a  few  wild  shots  at  long  range  would  disclose 
the  fact  that  the  vessel  was  heavily  armed,  and 
the  attacking  submarine  would  either  sheer  off  or 
else  submerge  and  use  her  torpedoes. 

When  the  chase  had  been  on  for  about  fifty 
minutes,  and  the  submarine  was  only  200  yards 
astern,  the  "  panic  party "  in  the  "  Q "  boat 
rushed  for  the  life-boats.  The  shells  were  now 
doing  serious  damage  to  both  hull  and  upper 
works,  and  the  submarine  was  creeping  close  to 
give  the  coup  de  grace. 

At  this,  the  psychological  moment,  the  order 
to  open  fire  was  given.  The  collapsible  deck- 
house, shielding  the  47  gun,  fell  away  on  its  hinges. 
Eleven  shots  were  fired  in  quick  succession,  all  of 
which  struck  the  submarine.  One  blew  the  com- 
mander off  the  conning-tower  and  another  rent  a 

100 


Mystery  Ships 

gaping  hole  in  the  vessel's  hull.  In  less  than  fifteen 
minutes  the  fight  was  over  and  the  last  U-boat  to 
be  sunk  in  the  Great  War  of  civilisation  had  dis- 
appeared beneath  the  waters  of  the  Straits  of 
Gibraltar. * 

1  One  of  the  remaining  U-boats  afterwards  succeeded  in  torpedoing 
the  battleship  Britannia. 


IOI 


CHAPTER  VIII 
A  TYPICAL  WAR  BASE 

THE  last  few  chapters  have  dealt  mainly  with  the 
weapons  used  in  anti-submarine  warfare.  We 
now  come  to  the  naval  bases  on  which  the  fleets 
armed  with  these  curious  devices  were  stationed 
for  active  operations. 

Around  the  coasts  of  the  British  Isles  there  were 
about  forty  of  these  war  bases,  each  with  its  own 
patrol  flotillas,  minesweeping  units  and  hunting 
squadrons.  The  harbours,  breakwaters  and  docks 
had  to  be  furnished  with  stores,  workshops,  wire- 
less stations,  quarters  for  officers  and  men,  search- 
lights, oil-storage  tanks,  coal  bunkers,  magazines, 
fire  equipment,  guard-rooms,  signal  stations, 
hospitals,  pay  offices,  dry  docks,  intelligence 
centres  and  all  the  vitally  necessary  stores, 
machinery  and  equipment  of  small  dockyards. 

To  do  this  in  the  shortest  possible  time,  and  to 
maintain  the  supplies  of  such  rapidly  consumed 
materials  as  oil  fuel,  coal,  food,  paint,  rope  and 
shells  for  perhaps  a  hundred  ships  for  an  indefinite 
number  of  years,  it  was  often  necessary  to  lay  down 
metals  and  sidings  to  connect  the  base  with  the 
nearest  railway  system.  At  many  bases  secure 
moorings  had  also  to  be  laid  by  divers,  and  the 
channels  and  fair-ways  dredged.  The  larger  bases 

102 


A  Typical  War  Base 

also  required  temporary  shore  defences,  and  booms 
arranged  across  the  harbour  entrances  to  prevent 
hostile  under-water  attacks. 

Then  came  the  problem  of  finding  the  personnel. 
The  ships  had  already  been  provided  for,  but  to 
keep  them  in  fighting  condition,  and  for  the  work 
of  administration,  it  was  necessary  to  have  a  shore 
navy  behind  the  sea-going  units.  An  admiral  from 
the  active  or  retired  list  was  appointed  to  each 
base  as  the  "  Senior  Naval  Officer."  Then  came 
additions  to  his  staff  in  the  persons  of  executive 
and  engineer  commanders,  officers  of  the  Reserve, 
chaplains,  surgeons  and  paymasters.  With  these 
departmental  chiefs  came  their  respective  staffs  of 
warrant  officers,  petty  officers,  wireless  operators, 
engine-room  artificers,  motor  mechanics,  ship- 
wrights, carpenters,  smiths,  naval  police,  signal- 
men, storekeepers,  sick  berth  attendants  and 
parties  of  seamen.  Finally,  a  generous  supply  of 
printed  forms  and  train-loads  of  stores. 

This  then,  in  brief  outline,  was  the  material 
which  went  to  form  the  war  bases  of  the  auxiliary, 
or  anti-submarine,  fleets.  In  many  cases  much 
more  was  required,  especially  at  such  important 
depots  as  Dover,  Granton  and  Queenstown.  About 
the  permanent  dockyards,  like  Portsmouth,  Devon- 
port  and  Rosyth,  or  the  Grand  Fleet  bases,  nothing 
need  be  said  here,  because  they  do  not  come  within 
the  scope  of  this  book.  The  same  may  also  be  said 
of  that  desolate  but  wonderful  natural  anchorage, 
Scapa  Flow,  the  headquarters  of  the  Grand  Fleet  in 
the  misty  north.  Each  of  these  mammoth  naval 

103 


A  Typical  War  Base 

bases  had  an  auxiliary  base  for  anti-submarine 
and  minesweeping  divisions. 

With  a  knowledge  of  these  essentials  a  more 
detailed  description  of  a  typical  war  base  and  the 
work  of  its  staff  may  prove  of  interest.  Taking 
as  an  example  a  large  depot,  supplying  all  the  needs 
of  over  a  hundred  erstwhile  warships,  and  situated 
in  the  centre  of  the  danger  zone,  we  find  a  central 
stone  pier  on  which  has  been  erected  a  perfect  maze 
of  wood  and  corrugated  iron  buildings,  with  the 
tall  antennae  of  a  wireless  station,  a  little  look-out 
tower  and  a  gigantic  signal  mast  from  which  a  line 
of  coloured  flags  is  aflutter  in  the  sea  breeze.  The 
shore  end  of  the  pier  is  shut  off  from  prying  eyes 
by  a  lofty  wooden  palisade  with  big  gates,  in  one 
of  which  is  a  small  wicket.  Outside  a  sentry  with 
fixed  bayonet  paces  to  and  fro. 

The  first  person  inside  the  sacred  precincts  to 
greet  the  stranger  is  a  keen-eyed  "  Petty  Officer  of 
the  Guard."  When  the  credentials  have  been 
examined  the  visitor  is  sent  under  the  guidance  of 
a  bluejacket  to  the  "  Officer  of  the  Day/'  whose 
"  cabin  "  is  inside  the  maze  of  corrugated  iron 
and  weather-board.  The  doors  flanking  the 
passages  traversed  display  cryptic  lettering,  such 
as  I.O.  (Intelligence  Office),  S.R.  (Signal  Room), 
S.N.O.  (Senior  Naval  Officer),  "Commander" 
(usually  the  second  in  command  of  the  base), 
P.M.S.O.  (Port  Minesweeping  Officer),  C.B.O. 
(Confidential  Book  Office),  M.L.Com.  (Motor 
Launch  Commander),  O.O.W.  (Officer  of  the 
Watch),  "Officers  only "  (the  wardroom  and 

104 


Thorny  croft  &  Co.,  Ltd. 

AFTER-DECK  OF  THE  "HYDERABAD" 

Showing  quick-firing  gun  on  disappearing  platform. 


Thorny crc>ft  &*  Co.,  Ltd. 

AFTER-DECK  OF  THE  "  HYDERABAD  " 

Showing  gun  raised  to  firing  position. 


A  Typical  War  Base 


FIG.  17. — The  central  pier  of  a  typical  anti-submarine  naval  base, 
i.  Wardroom.  2.  Sec.  to  senior  naval  officer.  3.  Admiral's  cabin 
(S.N.O.).  4.  Flag  commander  (or  lieutenant).  5.  Base  intelligence 
office.  6.  Base  commander.  7.  Chaplain  and  gift  store.  8.  Drafting 
officer.  9.  Store  officer.  10.  Chart-issuing  office,  n.  Cabin  of 
the  officer  of  the  day.  12.  Telephone  exchange.  13.  Warrant 
officers.  14.  Pay  office.  15.  Fleet  paymaster.  16.  Paymasters 
and  asst.-paymasters.  17.  Writers  and  W.R.N.S.  18.  Engineer- 
commander's  office.  19.  Men's  quarters  (for  base  duties  and 
reserve).  20.  Men's  recreation  room.  21.  Petty  officers.  22. 
Men's  mess-room  and  adjoining  galley.  23.  Sick-bay.  24.  Fleet 
surgeon.  25.  Baths.  26.  Baths.  27.  Stores.  28.  Boom  defence 
office.  29.  King's  harbour  master.  30.  Hull  defects  office.  31. 
Police  and  cells.  32.  Coaling  office.  33.  Wireless  cabin.  34.  Guard 
room.  35.  Railway  platform.  36.  Sentry  box.  37.  Cranes.  38. 
Berths  for  armed  yachts  in  harbour.  39.  Motor  launches  in  harbour. 
40.  Drifters.  41.  Patrol  trawlers.  42.  Minesweepers.  43.  Whalers. 
44.  Coastal  motor  boats.  Larger  ships,  such  as  sloops,  destroyers, 
"P"  boats,  coaling  and  ammunition  hulks,  lying  out  in  basin. 

105 


A  Typical  War  Base 

gunroom  combined),  and,  finally,  the  O.O.D.,  or  the 
abode  of  that  much-worried  individual,  the  Officer 
of  the  Day,  whose  duties  happily  terminate  when 
his  twenty-four  hours  of  administrative  responsi- 
bility are  over,  only,  however,  to  return  in  strict 
rotation. 

Again  comes  an  apologetic  examination  of 
credentials,  possibly  followed  by  a  few  minutes 
with  the  admiral  commanding,  and  then  the  grand 
tour  commences.  First  come  the  ships  lying 
alongside  the  stone  pier,  with  their  short  funnels 
belching  black  and  very  sooty  smoke.  These  are 
the  "  stand-off  "  units,  whose  crews  are  enjoying 
a  brief  few  hours  ashore  after  days  or  weeks  out 
on  the  dangerous  seas  beyond.  Big  drums  of  oil 
are  being  lowered  by  ropes  on  to  their  decks.  The 
sound  of  hammering  comes  from  more  than  one 
engine-room,  where  machinery  is  being  overhauled. 
On  the  decks  of  several,  men  with  little  or  no  re- 
semblance to  the  clean  "  Jacks "  of  the  naval 
review  are  fondly  polishing,  painting  or  greasing 
the  long  grey  barrels,  steel  breech  mechanism,  or 
the  yellow  metal  training  wheels  of  guns.  Others 
are  cleaning  rifles,  which  have  recently  been  used 
with  special  bullets  for  sinking  floating  mines. 
One  ship  is  washing  down  decks  after  coming  in 
late  from  night  patrol ;  another  is  receiving  its 
three-monthly  coat  of  grey  paint ;  while  on  to  the 
deck  of  a  whaler — black  and  ominous -looking — 
hundredweights  of  provisions  in  boxes  and  bags 
are  being  lowered  from  the  quay. 

Astern  of  these  lie  two  tiers  of  light  grey  spick 

106 


A  Typical  War  Base 

and  span  motor  launches,  their  decks  spotlessly 
white,  and  their  small  canvas  and  glass  screened 
wheel-houses  ill  concealing  polished  brass  indicators, 
Morse  signalling  key,  electric  switches,  binnacles 
and  other  paraphernalia.  Behind  these  lie  the 
4O-knot  coastal  motor  boats,  like  miniature  sub- 
marines, with  torpedoes  in  cavities  in  their  aft 
decks,  and  little  glass-sheltered  steering-wells. 
Further  towards  the  head  of  the  pier  is  a  line  of 
big  flat  Scotch  motor  drifters,  built  for  rough 
weather  with  g-inch  timbers,  their  decks  a  maze 
of  wire  nets,  glass  floats  and  brick-red  chemical 
canisters. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  pier,  in  front  of  the 
S.N.O/s  cabin,  lies  a  big  grey  yacht  with  four  12- 
pounder  guns  and  an  anti-aircraft  weapon  pointing 
over  the  sky-reflecting  water.  Lying  out  in  the 
basin  are  big  minesweepers,  looking  more  like 
pre-war  third-class  cruisers,  two  slim-looking  dark 
grey  destroyers,  a  dredger  and  a  few  nondescript 
craft. 

Inside  the  first  row  of  iron  sheds  are  stores,  with 
barrels  of  tar,  drums  of  paint,  immense  coils  of 
rope  and  a  naval  "  William  Whiteley's  " — in  which 
anything  from  a  looking-glass  to  a  ball  of  string,  or 
a  razor  to  a  dish-cloth,  can  be  obtained  in  exchange 
for  a  signed  form  from  the  Naval  Store  Officer, 
whose  cabin  near  by  is  a  maze  of  similar  forms  of 
all  colours. 

Then  a  worried-looking  man  hurries  by  and  the 
O.O.D.  smiles.  "  He's  the  coaling  officer,  and 
there's  some  twenty  ships  waiting  to  get  alongside 

107 


A  Typical  War  Base 

to  take  the  beastly  stuff  aboard,"  is  the  laconic 
explanation. 

A  cabin  marked  I.O.  is  entered — every  room  is 
a  cabin  in  a  naval  base.  Here  the  walls  are 
decorated  with  innumerable  charts  with  mysterious 
red  lines.  A  curious  device,  with  the  names  of  all 
the  ships  belonging  to  the  base  painted  on  wooden 
slides,  reaches  across  one  side.  It  is  the  indicator 
which  shows  at  a  glance  the  ships  at  sea  and  those 
in  harbour,  the  names  of  those  under  repair,  the 
unit  to  which  each  vessel  belongs  and  when  she 
goes  out  or  comes  in  for  "  stand-off/' 

This  is  the  Intelligence  Office,  and  signals  and 
wireless  messages  from  the  patrols  and  battle  fleets 
are  being  almost  continuously  brought  in  and 
carried  out  by  messengers.  The  Commanding 
Officer  (C.O.)  of  a  minesweeper  is  making  inquiries 
about  tides  and  the  exact  position  on  the  chart 
of  a  newly  located  mine-field.  Another  officer  is 
locking  a  black  patent-leather  dispatch-case — he 
is  the  King's  Messenger  or,  more  correctly,  the 
"  Admiralty  Dispatch  Bearer, "  who  carries  to  and 
from  London  and  the  fleets  all  the  secret  correspond- 
ence and  memoranda  of  the  Naval  War  Staff  and 
other  important  departments.  A  big  safe  in  the 
corner  of  the  cabin  contains  the  secret  codes  and 
ciphers  used  when  transmitting  messages,  and  two 
overworked  officers  are  busy  at  near-by  desks 
translating  signals  to  and  from  "  plain  English." 

The  next  cabin  contains  the  admiral's  secretary 
and  his  staff  of  writers.  Here  a  flotilla  commander 
is  receiving  his  "  sailing  orders/'  without  which 

108 


A  Typical  War  Base 

no  ship  proceeds  on  a  voyage.  Adjoining  this  is 
the  Pay  Office,  in  which,  with  the  exception  of  a 
newly  joined  recruit  mortgaging  his  pay  for  two 
weeks  ahead — he  knows  that  he  will  be  at  sea  for 
that  time — there  is  a  decided  air  of  quietude. 
The  rush  in  this  abode  of  paymasters  comes  at  the 
end  of  each  month,  when  all  the  officers  arrive  in  a 
body  to  demand  the  meagre  fruits  of  their  labours. 
Sandwiched  between  the  clean  and  varnished 
cabin  of  the  Base  Commander,  who  is  "  taking  " 
defaulters,  and  the  camp-bedded  apartment  of 
the  O.O.W.  is  a  most  interesting  little  combined 
cabin  and  store,  presided  over  by  the  Chaplain. 
Here  are  piles  of  woollen  socks,  cardigans,  bala- 
clavas, mitts  and  other  clothes  knitted  by  the 
thoughtful  women  of  the  Empire  for  their  sailor 
sons.  Here  seamen  are  estimating  the  cold- 
resisting  qualities  of  different  garments — for  winter 
in  the  North  Sea  is  the  next  thing  to  Arctic  explora- 
tion. Officers  are  popping  in  and  out  to  borrow 
a  pile  of  books — thrice  blessed  were  the  senders 
of  these  donations.  The  corner  of  the  cabin  is 
piled  with  fresh  vegetables,  but  alas  !  the  cry  is 
apples  !  No  exhortations  to  righteousness  adorn 
the  walls,  and  the  chaplain  is  joking  with  a  big 
stoker  who  is  distractedly  turning  over  the 
cardigans  in  search  for  one  large  enough  to  encom- 
pass his  massive  frame.  A  signal  boy  slips  in, 
gets  chocolate,  gives  a  breathless  thanks  and  slips 
out  just  in  time  to  avoid  the  playfully  raised  hand 
of  the  P.O.  of  his  ship.  Two  deck  hands,  covered 
in  coal  dust,  put  their  heads  round  the  door  to 

109 


A  Typical  War  Base 

ask  if  they  can  have  a  bath,  and  the  indefatigable 
chaplain  hands  them  the  keys  of  the  room  pro- 
vided for  the  purpose  by  the  generous. 

Religion  here  is  more  practical  than  theoretical. 
If  a  man  swears  when  the  "  Padre  "  is  present  he 
pays  a  small  fine,  which  goes  to  the  recreation  or 
other  needy  fund.  The  Commander  is  not  immune 
from  this  law  at  the  base  under  review,  and  has 
more  than  once  been  "  heavily  fined  "  for  giving 
his  true  opinion  of  German  sailors  and  winter 
weather. 

The  next  cabin  is  that  of  the  O.O.W.,  a  seething 
mass  of  officers  demanding  "  duty  boats "  and 
pinnaces  to  convey  them  to  and  from  their  ships 
lying  out  in  the  fair-way.  Others  are  expostulating 
about  being  ordered  to  sea  during  their  "  stand- 
off/' informing  everyone  what  a  rotten  service  the 
navy  is,  crossing-sweeping  is  a  sinecure  compared 
with  it.  Then  a  few  pass  on  to  the  cabin  near  the 
men's  quarters.  Here  the  "  Drafting  Officer  "  is 
trying  to  palm  off  a  deck  hand  on  the  C.O.  of  a 
trawler,  who  is  vainly  explaining  that  he  must 
have  a  signalman.  A  telephone  rings  and  news 
comes  from  the  "  Sick  Bay  "  that  an  engineer  has 
been  badly  burned  and  will  be  unable  to  go  to  sea 
with  his  ship.  The  distracted  drafting  officer 
searches  through  his  lists  of  reserves  for  some 
competent  man  to  take  the  place  of  the  casualty. 

Peace  reigns  in  the  adjoining  department,  where 
a  grey -haired  veteran  is  issuing  charts,  "  Sailing 
Directions/'  "Tide  Tables"  and  "Warnings  to 
Mariners."  In  the  near-by  engineer-commander's 

no 


A  Typical  War  Base 

office  worried  experts  are  wrestling  with  innumer- 
able problems  relating  to  M.L.  motors,  steam 
capstans,  steam  steering  gear,  electric  dynamos, 
damaged  propellers,  broken  shafts,  boiler  cleaning 
and  the  numerous  imperfections  of  overworked 
ships'  engines. 

The  Boom  Defence  staff  is  placidly  serene. 
The  turn  of  this  department  comes  after  a  heavy 
gale  has  damaged  the  submarine  nets,  chains  and 
buoys.  The  torpedo  officers  and  their  "  parties  " 
are  discussing  the  best  way  of  moving  four  of  these 
steel  monsters  from  a  neighbouring  depot  ship  to 
a  new  "  Q  "  boat  with  only  a  rowing-boat  at  their 
disposal — soon  the  O.O.W.  will  be  called  upon  to 
supply  a  drifter  for  the  purpose. 

In  the  ordnance  store  a  veteran  P.O.  is  trying  to 
make  his  list  of  returned  brass  shell-cases  corre- 
spond with  the  number  of  shells  supplied  to  various 
ships  six  months  before.  He  knows  the  sailors' 
fondness  for  shell-cases  as  ornaments  in  their  little 
far-away  homes,  and,  failing  to  make  all  the  figures 
agree,  decides  that  some  must  have  been  "  washed 
overboard." 

The  Port  Minesweeping  Officer  is  discussing  with 
his  sea  commanders  the  clearing  of  a  new  mine-field 
laid  by  U-C-boats  within  the  past  few  days,  when 
a  sudden  stir  is  caused  by  the  arrival  of  a  signal 
from  the  wireless  room  to  the  effect  that  one  of  his 

vessels  has  struck  a  mine  in  lat. long. and 

is  sinking.  He  appeals  by  telephone  to  the  M.L. 
commander  and  in  less  than  ten  minutes  a  flotilla 
of  fast  launches  is  racing  at  19  knots  to  the  rescue. 


A  Typical  War  Base 

In  the  Admiral's  cabin  there  is  to  be  a  con- 
ference of  senior  officers  later  in  the  day  to  decide 
on  the  best  means  of  ridding  the  seas  within  that 
area — and  each  base  has  its  own  area  of  sea — of  a 
hostile  submarine  which  has  been  inflicting  undue 
loss  upon  shipping,  its  latest  victim  being  a 
Danish  barque. 

The  combined  wardroom  and  gunroom  has 
some  twenty  occupants,  reading  the  newspapers 
and  magazines,  warming  themselves  before  the 
two  big  fires,  or  talking  in  little  groups.  This  base 
has  suffered  some  heavy  losses  lately,  but  reference 
to  those  "  gone  aloft  "  is  seldom  made,  except 
quietly  and  a  little  awkwardly.  The  talk  is  of 
theatres  in  neighbouring  towns,  the  respective 
merits  of  certain  types  of  ships  and  weapons,  the 
prospects  of  early  leave,  the  dirty  warfare  of 
"  Fritz  "  or  the  "  beauties  "  of  the  North  Sea  in 
winter. 

In  this  room  all  questions  of  rank  and  precedence 
are  more  or  less  waived.  There  are,  of  course, 
differences,  especially  when  the  wardroom,  or  abode 
of  senior  officers,  does  duty  also  as  a  gunroom  for 
the  juniors.  But  here  there  is  camaraderie  and  an 
absence  of  iron  discipline,  although  a  sub-lieutenant 
would  be  extremely  ill  advised  either  to  drop  the 
prefix  "  Sir  "  or  to  slap  the  Commander  on  the 
back  in  an  excess  of  joviality,  relying  on  "  neutral 
territory  "  to  save  him  from  rebuke.  It  is,  how- 
ever, no  uncommon  event  to  see  all  ranks  of  officers 
engaged  in  a  heated  debate,  or  groups  of  juniors 
laughing  round  the  fire  while  their  elders  are 

112 


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MOCK-WHEEL  AND  COM  PASS- PEDESTAL  OF  THE  "HYDERABAD" 


II 


Ltd. 


WHICH    COLLAPSE   AND   LEAVE   A   CLEAR     RANGE    FOR   THE   GUNS 


A  Typical  War  Base 

vainly  trying  to  concentrate  their  minds  on  the 
latest  Press  dispatches.  Games  are  played  and 
glasses  clink  merrily,  but  in  a  gunroom  there  is  a 
very  strict  limit  as  to  both  time  and  quantity, 
though  none  regarding  volume  or  discordance  of 
sound. 

Passing  on  to  the  organisation  of  the  flotillas 
for  sea,  we  find  in  this  large  base  six  minesweeping 
units,  two  being  composed  of  fast  paddle  sweepers 
and  four  of  trawlers.  The  former  are  used  for 
distant  operations  and  comprise  nine  vessels. 
They  work  in  pairs,  but  the  extra  ship  is  available 
to  sink  mines  cut  up  by  the  sweeps  of  the  others, 
and  to  be  immediately  ready  to  beat  off  submarine 
attacks. 

The  trawlers  are  engaged  in  sweeping  daily  the 
approaches  to  the  harbour  and  a  recognised  channel 
up  and  down  the  coast.  Their  work  overlaps  with 
that  done  by  the  ships  belonging  to  the  neighbour- 
ing bases.  In  this  way  the  "  war  channel/7  about 
which  more  will  be  said  later,  was  kept  free  of  mines, 
and  afforded  a  safe  route  for  ships  from  the  Thames 
to  the  Tyne,  and  in  reality  to  the  northernmost 
limit  of  Scotland. 

This  important  duty  was  seldom  left  unper- 
formed even  for  a  day,  except  during  fierce 
gales.  Often  the  discovery  of  a  distant  mine-field 
caused  many  ships  to  be  concentrated  on 
clearing  it,  and  the  number  available  for  the 
"routine  sweeps "  was  consequently  reduced,  but 
longer  hours  of  this  arduous  and  dangerous 
H  113 


A  Typical  War  Base 

work  made  up  the  difference,  and  the  work  went 
on  in  summer  fog  and  winter  snow  for  over  four 
years. 

The  anti-submarine  patrols  were  composed  of 
five  ships  each,  under  the  command  of  the  senior 
officer  of  the  unit — frequently  a  lieutenant  with 
the  responsibility  of  a  captain.  Their  work  lay 
out  on  the  wastes  of  sea  lying  between  England 
and  Germany.  It  was  seldom  that  the  whole  five 
vessels  of  each  unit  cruised  together,  the  usual 
method  being  to  scatter  over  the  different  "  beats  " 
and  rendezvous  in  a  given  latitude  and  longitude 
at  a  specified  time  and  date.  They  were  usually 
able  to  communicate  with  each  other  and  with 
the  base  on  important  matters  by  wireless.  Their 
periods  at  sea  varied  from  ten  days  to  three  weeks, 
with  a  four  days'  "stand  off"  when  they  came 
into  harbour.  But  of  this  time  one  day  at  least 
was  spent  in  coaling  and  provisioning  the  ship 
ready  for  the  next  patrol.  This  ceaseless  vigilance 
on  the  grey-green  seas  of  England's  frontier  was 
seldom  interrupted  for  more  than  a  few  days  in 
the  year  by  impossible  gales.  Anything  short  of 
literally  mountainous  seas  did  not  prevent  the 
trawler  patrols  from  riding  out  the  storm  carefully 
battened  down  and  with  just  sufficient  speed  to 
keep  head  to  sea. 

The  drifters  were  divided  into  patrol  units,  boom 
defence  flotillas  and  under-water  or  mine-net  units. 
Their  work  was  thus  more  varied  but  equally  as 
arduous  and  risky,  as  the  loss  of  30  per  cent,  of  the 
entire  fleet  of  over  1000  ships  affords  undeniable 

114 


A  Typical  War  Base 

proof.     The  periods  of  sea  duty  were  similar  to 
those  of  the  trawlers. 

The  motor  launches  at  each  base  had  some 
hundred  square  miles  of  sea  to  guard,  and  hunted 
in  fives.  The  rough  weather  these  plucky  little 
ships  endured  in  the  open  sea  in  mid-winter,  the 
intense  cold — for  there  was  no  proper  heating 
appliance — and  the  state  of  perpetual  wetness 
made  their  duties  among  the  most  arduous  in  the 
sea  war.  Later  pages  of  true  narrative  will  show 
to  the  full  the  work  of  these  gnats  of  the  sea. 

In  addition  to  all  these  flotillas  there  were  convoy 
ships,  whaler  patrols,  "  Q  "  boats  and  a  number  of 
special  duty  ships.  The  work  of  the  former  was 
of  the  most  exacting  character,  and  left  the  crews 
of  these  vessels  but  little  time  ashore.  In  the  base 
under  review  so  arduous  were  the  duties  of  the 
convoy  ships  that  it  became  a  matter  of  self- 
congratulation  for  patrol  and  sweeper  officers  and 
men  that  their  ships  were  not  so  employed,  and 
this  by  men  who  sailed  submarine  and  mine  infested 
seas  for  an  average  of  270  days  in  each  year  ! 

It  must  not  be  assumed  that  when  in  harbour 
there  were  no  duties  to  be  performed  by  either 
officers  or  men  of  sea-going  ships.  They  had,  on  the 
contrary,  to  furnish  anchor  watches,  shore  sentries, 
duty  crews  for  emergency  pickets,  prisoner  guards, 
working  and  church  parties,  to  attend  drills,  rifle 
practice,  gun  practice  and  instructional  parades. 
The  officers  had  similar  shore  duties  to  perform, 
which  left  them  little  time  to  rest  from  the  strain  of 
keeping  watch  and  ward  on  the  death-strewn  seas. 


CHAPTER  IX 
THE  CONVOY  SYSTEM 

ALTHOUGH  the  convoy  system  was  employed  at 
the  beginning  of  the  war  for  the  transport  of  the 
Imperial  armies  to  France,  and  subsequently  for 
all  the  Allied  troop  movements  overseas,  it  was 
some  three  years  later  before  it  was  extended  to 
the  entire  British  Mercantile  navy,  on  which  the 
United  Kingdom  depended  for  too  many  of  the 
necessities  of  civilised  life. 

The  rapid  development  of  submarine  piracy, 
however,  compelled  the  Admiralty,  early  in  the 
year  1917,  to  resort  to  what  was  merely  a  new 
form  of  the  old  system  of  protecting  sea-borne 
trade.  This  comprised  the  collection  of  all 
merchant  ships  passing  through  the  danger  zones 
into  nondescript  fleets,  and  the  provision  of  light 
cruisers,  destroyers,  torpedo-boats,  trawlers  and 
occasionally  (for  coastal  convoys)  of  patrol  launches 
to  escort  them.  Certain  types  of  aircraft  were  also 
frequently  used  for  observation  and  scouting 
purposes. 

Previous  to  the  adoption  of  the  convoy  system 
a  merchantman,  whether  it  was  a  fast-moving 
liner  or  a  sturdy  but  slow  ocean  tramp,  zigzagged 
through  the  danger  zones  with  lights  out  and  life- 
boats ready.  Many  were  the  exciting  runs  made 

116 


The  Convoy  System 

in  this  way,  with  shells  ploughing  up  the  water 
around  and  torpedoes  avoided  only  by  the  quick 
use  of  the  helm  ;  but  the  courage  of  our  merchant 
seamen  was  of  that  indomitable  character  ex- 
hibited now  for  over  three  centuries,  since  the  days 
of  Drake,  Hawkins,  Raleigh  and  the  other  sea-dogs 
of  old. 

But  the  danger  zones  grew  wider  as  the  radius 
of  action  of  newer  and  larger  German  submarines 
increased.  At  last  no  waters  were  immune,  from 
the  Arctic  circle  to  the  Equator,  or  from  Heligoland 
to  New  York. 

The  hour  was  one  of  extreme  peril  for  the  sea- 
divided  Empire.  To  lose  several  hundred  ships, 
with  many  thousands  of  lives  and  much-needed 
cargoes  of  food  and  munitions,  when  the  valiant 
armies  of  civilisation  were  battling  with  the 
Teuton  hordes,  was  bad  enough  ;  but  if  the  enemy 
had  been  able,  by  casting  aside  the  laws  of  humanity 
and  sea  war,  to  compel  British  ships  to  remain  in 
harbour  or  meet  certain  destruction  on  the  high 
seas,  the  result  could  only  have  been  the  complete 
failure  of  the  Allied  cause,  the  conquest  of  Europe 
and  the  fall  of  the  greatest  political  edifice  since 
Imperial  Rome. 

Between  the  world  and  these  catastrophes, 
however,  stood  the  undefeated  Mercantile  Marine 
and  the  Allied  navies.  Councils  were  held  in  the 
historic  rooms  of  Whitehall  and  the  old  convoy 
system  emerged  from  the  archives  of  Nelson's  day. 
The  commerce  raiders  were  no  longer  the  canvas- 
pressed  privateers  of  the  sixteenth,  seventeenth 

117 


The  Convoy  System 

and  early  eighteenth  centuries,  who  fought  a  clean 
fight,  often  against  great  odds,  but  were  submarine 
pirates  of  the  mechanical  age,  who  only  appeared 
from  the  sea  depths  when  their  victims  had  been 
placed  hors  de  combat. 

It  is  an  old  axiom  of  war  that  new  weapons 
of  attack  are  invariably  met  by  new  methods  of 
defence.  So  it  was  with  the  convoy  system  which 
gave  the  death-blow  to  German  hopes  of  a  sub- 
marine victory.  In  order  to  understand  this  new 
method  it  is  necessary  to  study  the  accompanying 
diagram,  which,  however  simple  it  may  appear  on 
paper,  is  extremely  difficult  to  carry  out  in  practice. 

At  each  great  port  there  was  a  convoy  officer, 
who  assembled  the  merchant  ships  when  they  had 
been  loaded  and  explained  to  their  captains  the 
exact  position  each  ship  was  to  occupy  when  the 
fleet  was  at  sea.  Printed  instructions  were  handed 
round  urging  each  vessel  to  keep  its  correct  station, 
stating  the  procedure  to  be  adopted  in  the  event 
of  an  engine  breakdown,  giving  the  manoeuvres 
which  were  instantly  to  be  carried  into  effect  when 
an  attack  was  threatened,  and  finally  the  special 
signals  arranged  for  communication  between  the 
merchantmen  and  their  escort  by  day  and  by 
night. 

The  number  of  vessels  composing  a  convoy 
varied,  but  often  exceeded  twenty  big  cargo  ships, 
carrying  some  120,000  tons  of  merchandise,  or  six 
liners,  with  20,000  troops  on  board,  while  the  escort- 
ing flotilla  consisted  of  a  light  cruiser,  acting  as 
flagship,  six  destroyers,  two  special  vessels  ("  P  " 


The  Convoy  System 

boats)  towing  observation  airshirs,  and  some  eight 
or  ten  trawlers,  with  possibly  or  or  more  seaplanes 
and  several  M.L.'s  for  the  firsi  few  miles  of  the 
voyage.  The  destroyers  were  spread  out  ahead 


/  oepr«»oye«&ON  />a    ?^f 

/  ^ORT    clNeWIRCH^hTMtN   \         eTAftO.».lNfclVlC«C«ANTWC^  ' 

a 


FIG.  18.^ — Diagram^  showing  the  disposition   of  a   convoy  of  troops, 
munitions  or  food. 

and  on  the  flanks  of  the  fleet,  and  by  using  their 
greatly  superior  speed  were  able  to  zigzag  and 
circle  round Jthe  whole  convoy. 

In  the  event  of  an  attack  the  whole  fleet  turned 
off  from  the  course  they  were  steering  at  a  sharp 

119 


The  Convoy  System 

angle,  showing  only  their  sterns  to  the  U-boat.  A 
destroyer  acted  as  rearguard  to  prevent  any  of  the 
convoyed  ships  from  straggling.  When  the  fleet 
had  arrived  at  a  rendezvous  far  out  in  the  open  sea, 
where  the  danger  of  a  submarine  attack  was  much 
less,  the  escort  handed  over  their  charges  to  one  or 
two  ocean-going  cruisers,  which  stayed  with  the 
merchant  ships  throughout  the  remainder  of  their 
voyage. 

The  escorting  flotilla  then  cruised  about  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  rendezvous  until  an  incoming  con- 
voy appeared.  These  ships  were  then  taken  over 
from  their  mid-ocean  cruiser  guard  and  escorted 
back  through  the  danger  zone  to  port,  and  so  the 
game  of  war  continued  until  months  became  years. 

All  this  may  sound  straightforward  and  quite 
simple,  but  there  were  difficulties,  to  say  nothing  of 
dangers,  which  made  it  a  most  arduous  operation. 
First  came  the  speed  problem.  Every  merchant 
ship  differed  in  this  important  respect,  so  the  speed 
of  the  slowest  unit  became  the  speed  of  the  entire 
fleet,  and  this  reduction  made  an  attack  by  under- 
water craft  much  easier  of  accomplishment.  Hence 
the  call  for  "  standard  ships/'  which  is  a  point  that 
should  be  borne  in  mind  by  future  generations 
as  a  safeguard  against  blockade.  Then  came 
the  question  of  destination,  which  increased  the 
number  of  escorting  flotillas,  and  especially  ocean 
cruiser  guards,  required  for  a  given  number  of  cargo 
ships.  ~Next  there  was  the  loading  and  unloading 
to  be  considered,  involving  long  hours  and  hard 
work  by  the  men  on  the  quaysides.  This  great 

120 


The  Convoy  System 

difficulty  was  one  of  the  reasons  for  the  formation 
of  docker  battalions.  Coaling  such  big  fleets  by 
given  times  caused  many  grey  hairs  to  appear 
where  otherwise  they  would  not  have  been. 
Finally  there  was  the  danger  of  mines  having  been 
laid  in  the  fair-ways  leading  to  the  port,  which 
necessitated  every  convoy  being  met  by  special 


TWAWO  eeUKOCONVOf          N. 


*    *    t    t         1 

COVfcWlNr.   PATflOt  FLOTlklA 


FIG.  19.-  —  Diagram  showing  the  convoy  system. 

vessels  to  sweep  the  seas  in  front  of  each  incoming 
and  outgoing  fleet. 

All  this  and  more  had  to  be  contended  with  and 
overcome  before  each  convoy  was  able  to  sail. 
Then  danger  and  difficulty  came  hand-in-hand. 
On  a  bright  morning,  with  probably  a  fresh  breeze 
blowing  and  a  choppy  sea,  the  work  of  the  escort- 
ing flotilla  was  easy,  but  with  such  climatic  con- 
ditions the  risk  of  attack  was  so  great  in  the  waters 

121 


The  Convoy  System 

around  the  coasts  that  troopships  usually  left 
harbour  under  cover  of  night.  No  lights  were 
then  allowed,  and  it  will  not  be  difficult  for  readers 
to  imagine  what  it  meant  to  be  pounding  through 
a  black  void  in  a  fast -moving  destroyer,  against, 
possibly,  a  heavy  head  sea,  with  some  twenty  or 
thirty  big  ships  in  the  darkness  and  spray  around. 
Thick  sea-mists  were  the  cause  of  endless  trouble, 
for  the  safety  of  an  invisible  fleet  depended  on 
the  vigilance  of  a  half-blind  escort.  Winter  gales 
scattered  the  ships  and  rendered  signals  invisible. 
Attacks  came  from  the  most  unexpected  quarters 
and  often  from  more  than  one  point  of  the  compass 
at  the  same  time.  However,  relief  came  at  last, 
on  that  never-to-be-forgotten  morning  when  Sir 
David  Beatty  and  his  admirals  accepted  the 
unconditional  surrender  of  the  German  fleet  and 
its  unsunk  submarines. 

Were  this  chapter  to  end  with  the  foregoing 
description  of  the  convoy  system  the  reader  would 
not  be  in  possession  of  the  full  facts  from  which  to 
gauge  the  importance  of  the  work.  Something 
must  be  said  of  what  was  accomplished.  First  in 
order  of  importance  came  the  transport  of  many 
millions  of  soldiers  not  only  from  England  to 
France,  but  also  to  and  from  every  colony  and 
dominion  of  the  world-wide  Empire.  By  August, 
1915,  the  British  navy  had  transported,  across  seas 
infested  with  submarines  and  mines,  a  million  men 
without  the  loss  of  a  single  life  or  a  single  troopship. l 

1  When  writing  of  the  navy  in  this  connection  due  praise  should 
be  given  to  the  Mercantile  Marine,  which  this  war  has  proved  to  be 
a  very  important  part  of  the  true  sea  power  of  Great  Britain. 

122 


The  Convoy  System 

The  first  Canadian  army  of  33,000  men  crossed  the 
Atlantic  in  one  big  fleet  of  forty  liners,  under  the 
escort  of  four  cruisers  and  a  battleship,  in  October, 
1914,  without  accident.  Transports  to  the  number 
of  60  were  required  to  convey  the  first  Australian 
army  over  the  14,000  miles  of  sea  to  Europe,  and  it 
was  while  convoying  this  huge  fleet  that  the  cruiser 
Sydney  chased  and  destroyed  the  German  raider 
Emden.  The  Russian  force  which  rendered  valu- 
able service  in  France  was  safely  convoyed  over 
the  9000  miles  of  sea  from  Dalny  to  Marseilles. 
Never  once  during  the  four  and  a  half  years  of  war 
was  the  supply  of  food,  munitions  and  reinforce- 
ments, or  the  return  of  the  wounded — to  and  from 
the  many  theatres  of  land  operations — seriously 
hindered  by  the  German,  Austrian  or  Turkish 
navies. 

Turning  to  the  gigantic  task  of  guarding 
England's  food  supply,  we  find,  in  one  notable  case, 
an  example  of  the  good  work  performed  almost 
daily  for  nearly  five  years.  Over  4500  merchant 
ships  had  been  escorted  across  the  North  Sea  to 
Scandinavian  ports  alone  before  the  disaster  of 
i4th  October  1917  befell  the  convoy  on  that  route. 
On  that  occasion  the  anti-submarine  escort  of 
three  destroyers  were  intercepted,  midway  between 
the  Shetland  Islands  and  Norway,  by  two  heavily 
armed  German  cruisers.  The  destroyers  fought 
to  the  last  to  save  their  charges,  but  unfortunately 
only  three  merchant  ships  succeeded  in  getting 
safely  away.  Five  Norwegian  ships,  three  Swed- 
ish and  one  Danish  ship  were  sunk,  From  this  it 

123 


The  Convoy  System 

will  be  observed  that  not  only  British  merchant- 
men were  protected  by  escorts. 

The  second  attack  on  the  Scandinavian  convoy 
occurred  on  I2th  December.  The  escort  consisted 
of  two  destroyers,  the  Partridge  and  Pellew,  with 
four  armed  trawlers.  Fortunately  the  convoy 
was  comparatively  a  small  one,  for  it  was  attacked 
and  almost  totally  destroyed  in  the  North  Sea  by 
four  of  the  largest  German  destroyers.  H.M.S. 
Pellew,  although  badly  damaged,  succeeded  in 
returning  to  England. 

It  may  be  rightly  thought  that  in  both  these 
cases  the  escorting  flotilla  was  not  strong  enough, 
but  it  should  be  remembered  that  if  heavier  ships 
had  been  employed  they  would  have  been  much 
less  able  to  cope  with  a  submarine  attack.  The 
escort  in  both  cases  was  purely  an  anti-submarine 
defence,  and  only  on  the  Scandinavian  and  Nether- 
lands routes  was  a  surface  attack  at  all  possible, 
because  all  exits  from  the  North  Sea  were  securely 
closed  by  the  strategic  positions  occupied  by  the 
Grand  Fleet  and  the  battle  cruiser  squadrons,  in 
conjunction  with  subsidiary  fleets  at  Harwich  and 
extensive  mine-fields. 

When  it  became  apparent  that  surface  as  well 
as  submarine  attacks  on  the  North  Sea  convoys  had 
to  be  provided  against,  other  means  were  promptly 
adopted,  and  no  further  disasters  occurred. 

The  strong  escort  accompanying  the  transports 
bringing  to  Europe  the  first  American  army  were 
attacked  at  night  by  a  submarine,  but  succeeded  in 
avoiding  the  torpedoes  fired.  This  was  due  to  the 

124 


The  Convoy  System 

smartness  with  which  the  United  States  warships 
were  manoeuvred.  Three  subsequent  attacks  on 
the  same  convoy  route  also  failed. 

The  Report  of  the  War  Cabinet  for  the  year  1917 
gives  some  remarkable  figures  in  support  of  the 
convoy  system.  On  the  Atlantic  routes  about 
go  per  cent,  of  the  ships  were  formed  into  fleets  and 
escorted.  From  the  inauguration  of  this  system 
the  loss  on  these  routes  from  all  causes  was  0*82 
per  cent.,  and  if  all  the  trade  routes  to  and  from 
the  United  Kingdom  are  included,  the  loss  was 
only  0*58  per  cent.  With  these  figures  in  mind, 
who  will  deny  that  the  navy  is  the  surest  form  of 
national  as  well  as  Imperial  insurance  ? 


125 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  MYSTERIES  OF  SUBMARINE  HUNTING 
EXPLAINED 

WHEN  all  is  said  and  done,  anti-submarine  warfare 
is  very  like  big-game  hunting.  Success  depends 
entirely  on  the  initiative,  skill  and  resource  of  the 
individual  hunter.  Contrary  to  general  belief, 
there  is,  at  present,  no  sovereign  remedy  for  the 
depredations  of  under-water  craft  with  their 
torpedoes  and  mines.  There  are,  however,  several 
recognised  methods  of  attack  and  defence  em- 
ployed by  surface  ships  in  this  newest  form  of 
naval  warfare. 

When  the  new  navy  took  the  seas  in  1914-1915, 
bases  were  established  not  only  round  the  coasts 
of  the  British  Isles,  but  also  in  the  more  distant 
seas.  The  principal  danger  zones  were,  however, 
the  North  Sea,  the  English  Channel,  the  Irish  Sea, 
the  Mediterranean  and  the  eastern  portion  of  the 
North  Atlantic.  It  was  through  these  waters  that 
every  hostile  submarine  must  pass  on  its  voyage 
out  and  home. 

This  geographical  factor  restricted  the  theatre  of 
major  operations  to  some  180,000  square  miles  of 
sea.  Minor  offensive  measures  might  have  to  be 
adopted  against  individual  U-boats  cruising  at 
long  distances  from  their  bases,  as  actually  occurred 

126 


Submarine  Hunting  Explained 

off  the  United  States  coast,  but  the  fact  of  Germany 
possessing  large  submarine  bases  only  along  her 
own  North  Sea  coast,  and  temporary  ones  on  the 
Flanders  littoral,  enabled  a  concentration  of  Allied 
anti-submarine  craft  to  be  made  in  the  narrow  seas 
which  afforded  the  only  means  of  entry  and  exit  to 
and  from  those  bases. 

The  same  may  be  said  of  Austria  in  the  Adriatic 
and  of  Turkey  behind  the  Dardanelles. 

This  favourable  combination  of  circumstances 
would  not  occur  if  (however  unthinkable)  England, 
France  or  the  United  States  were  ever  to  wage  a 
rigorous  war  against  shipping.  The  large  number 
of  oversea  naval  bases  possessed  by  these  Powers 
would  cause  every  sea  to  become  a  danger  zone 
within  a  few  hours  of  the  commencement  of 
hostilities.  No  effective  concentration  of  hostile 
surface  craft  would  be  possible  with  the  zone  of 
operations  spread  over  the  water  surface  of  the 
entire  globe,  and  if  the  bases  themselves  were 

|  secured  by  predominant  battle  fleets,  or  numbers 
of  heavily  armed  monitors,  the  seas  would  quickly 
become  impossible  for  purposes  of  hostile  transport. 
This  geographical  restriction  of  the  German  and 
Austrian  danger  zones  made  effective  concentra- 
tion of  the  Allied  anti-submarine  fleets  and  their 
devices  possible.  The  180,000  square  miles  of  sea, 
forming  the  theatre  of  major  operations,  was,  on 

;  special  charts,  divided  into  areas,  comprising  a  few 

:  hundred  square  miles  of  sea.     Each  area  was  given 
a  distinctive  number,  and  a  base  was  established 

]  for  its  own  patrol  and  minesweeping  fleet. 

127 


The  Mysteries  of 

The  areas  themselves  were  again  subdivided  on 
special  charts  into  squares  or  sections.  Each 
square  covered  a  few  leagues  of  sea  and  was 
known  by  an  alphabetical  sign.  In  this  way  the 


FIG.  20. — Diagram    showing  division   of  sea  into   anti-submarine 
patrol  areas. 

waters  of  the  submarine  danger  zone  were  divided 
into  areas,  with  their  bases  and  protective  fleets,  and 
squares  with  their  respective  squadrons  or  ships. 

Each  square  of  sea  was  covered  once  or  twice 
daily  by  its  own  patrol  ship  or  flotilla.  Where  the 
danger  was  less  the  patrol  was  not  so  frequent 
and  the  squares  were  almost  indefinite  in  size,  but 

128 


Submarine  Hunting  Explained 

where  the  chances  of  successful  operations  were 
exceptional,  as  in  the  Straits  of  Dover,  additional 
offensive  measures  were  employed  (see  under  Mine 
Barrages). 

This,  then,  was  the  chess-board  on  which  the 
game  of  submarine  warfare  was  played.  To 
facilitate  communication  between  the  different 
patrols  spread  over  the  squares  of  sea,  wireless 
was  fitted  in  many  ships,  and  war  signal  stations 
were  erected  on  prominent  points  of  land.  Each 
base  was  able  to  communicate  by  wireless  with 
any  of  its  ships  out  on  patrol  duty,  and  was  also 
connected  by  land-line  telegraph,  telephone  and 
wireless  with  naval  centres. 

These  latter  were  head  intelligence  offices, 
usually  situated  at  the  great  bases  of  the  battle 
fleets.  In  this  way  any  concentration  of  hostile 
surface  warships  noticed  by  the  patrols  (sometimes 
submarines  were  employed,  especially  in  the 
Heligoland  Bight)  could  be  communicated  in  a  few 
minutes  to  the  admirals  commanding  the  Grand 
Fleet,  the  Battle  Cruiser  Squadron  or  other  large 
fighting  organisations. 

At  the  naval  centres  the  movements  of  hostile 
submarines  were  recorded  on  charts.  If,  for 
example,  it  was  reported  from  a  patrol  boat  that 
the  Ui6  had  torpedoed  a  ship  in  square  "  C," 
area  41,  at  10  A.M.  (G.M.T.1)  on  4th  August,  and 
the  patrol  had  arrived  on  the  scene  too  late  to  be 
of  any  service,  a  warning  could  be  wirelessed  to 
hundreds  of  vessels  on  the  seas  surrounding  the 

1  Greenwich  mean  time. 
I  I2Q 


The  Mysteries  of 

scene  of  outrage  to  keep  a  careful  look-out  for  the 
Ui6. 

Subsequently  a  further  message  might  come  to 


FIG.  21. — Diagram  showing  how  an  area  is  covered  by  patrols. 
A.  Unit  or  flotilla  of  ships  may  proceed  out  from  the  base 
on  course  indicated  by  arrows  B,  which  would  be  called  the 
"Northern  Inner  Beat,"  and  return  to  harbour  on  course  A, 
"Northern  Outer  Beat."  Other  units  of  ships  would  simul- 
taneously follow  the  course  E.  These,  and  adjacent  squares  of 
sea  would  be  covered  daily  by  one  or  more  ships  of  each  unit. 
The  southern  half  of  the  area  would  be  patrolled  in  the  same 
way.  The  '-Outer  Beat"  is  shown  by  the  arrows  C,  and  the 
"Inner  Beat"  by  the  arrows  D.  The  points  -fF  show  the 
possible  positions  of  armed  patrols  acting  independently  of  any 
unit  or  flotilla. 

the  naval  centre  that  the  same  submarine  had  been 
chasing  a  merchantman  in  square  "D,"  "E"  or 
"F"  in  the  adjoining  area.  A  concentration 

130 


Submarine  Hunting  Explained 

of  fast  ships,  such  as  destroyers,  M.L.'s  or  coastal 
motor  boats,  could  then  be  made  so  as  to  intercept 
the  raider  or  enclose  her  in  a  circle  while  other 
vessels  hunted  her  down. 

In  a  like  manner  important  convoys  coming 
down  the  coast,  or  entering  a  danger  zone  from 
the  open  sea,  could  be  met  by  a  local  flotilla  and 
escorted  to  a  rendezvous  with  a  flotilla  from  the 
adjoining  area.  In  this  way  they  were  passed 
through  the  submarine  and  mine  infested  seas  to 
and  from  their  harbour  terminus. 

Almost  the  same  methods  were  employed  in 
dealing  with  the  thousands  of  German  mines. 
But  to  describe  that  part  of  anti-submarine  war- 
fare here  would  be  to  encroach  on  the  subject  of  a 
succeeding  chapter. 

PATROLS 

The  method  of  patrolling  the  areas  and  squares 
of  sea  was  comparatively  simple,  though  the  same 
cannot  be  said  of  the  actual  work.  The  lines  of 
patrol  were  called  "  beats/'  and  there  was  usually 
an  "  inner  "  and  an  "  outer  "  beat  for  each  unit  or 
flotilla  of  ships.  If  when  a  ship  (or  a  unit)  reached 
her  allotted  square,  from  which  the  line  of  patrol 
extended,  she  elected  to  proceed  on  the  inner  beat, 
she  would  generally  accomplish  the  return  journey 
to  the  point  of  departure  on  the  outer  beat,  thus 
covering  her  respective  zone  of  patrol,  but  leaving 
the  exact  route  to  the  discretion  of  the  command- 
ing  officer.  In  this  way  no  hostile  submarine 


The  Mysteries  of 

with  a  knowledge  of  the  system  could  be  sure  of 
when  or  where  a  patrol  ship  would  be  met.     In  the 


J-- 


FIG.  22. — Diagram  illustrating  the  operations  of  a  hydrophone 
flotilla  composed  of  armed  motor  launches.  Each  vessel  is  given 
a  number,  and  the  flotilla  proceeds  in  line-abreast  along  the 
course  shown  by  the  dotted  lines.  Each  vessel  is  one  mile 
from  the  other,  and  the  whole  line  stops  by  signal  at  the  point 
marked  with  a  cross.  Hydrophones  are  put  in  operation,  and 
after  a  period  of  listening  the  flotilla  continues  on  its  course,  as 
no  submarine  sounds  are  heard.  The  flotilla  turns  to  head 
south,  and  a  stop  is  again  made  to  listen  on  the  hydrophones. 
This  time  the  sound  of  a  hostile  submarine  is  heard  by  vessel 
No.  i,  bearing  S.W.  This  report  is  confirmed  by  vessel 
No.  2  hearing  the  same  sound,  bearing  a  few  degrees  farther 
W.  The  two  bearings  A  and  B  are  then  drawn  on  a  chart,  and 
the  point  where  the  two  lines  cross  is  the  approximate  position 
of  the  invisible  submarine.  The  attack  with  depth  charges 
is  then  ordered. 

same  way  it  was  left  to  the  commander  of  a  flotilla 
to  either  divide  his  ships  into  pairs,  single  units,  or 

132 


Submarine  Hunting  Explained 

to  maintain  them  as  a  homogeneous  fleet,  so  that 
any  combination  of  hostile  submarines  could  not 
be  made  which  would  be  sure  of  being  able  to 
attack  a  single  patrol.  Such  an  enemy  combina- 
tion might  encounter  a  single  ship,  but  it  might  also 
walk  into  the  arms  of  a  whole  flotilla  ;  or  it  might 
attack  a  single  ship  only  to  find  itself  surrounded 
by  a  following  fleet. 

The  beats  which  were  most  distant  from  the  base 
were  given  to  the  largest  ships.  This  was  done 
because  it  was  often  impossible  for  the  more 
distant  patrols  to  reach  a  place  of  shelter  before 
one  of  the  fierce  gales  which  swept  the  northern 
seas  was  upon  them.  Trawlers,  large  steam 
yachts  and  converted  merchantmen  were  usually 
employed  on  squares  more  than  one  hundred  miles 
distant  from  a  harbour  of  refuge,  while  motor 
launches  kept  watch  and  ward  on  the  seas  closer 
inshore. 

The  duration  of  patrols  varied  according  to  their 
position.  Some  lasted  three  weeks  and  others 
only  a  few  days  or  hours.  When  the  ships  re- 
turned to  their  base  after  a  spell  at  sea  they  were 
given  a  corresponding  "  rest "  in  harbour.  A 
three  weeks'  patrol  meant  several  days'  "  stand- 
off/' while  a  two  or  three  days'  patrol  entitled  the 
ship  to  twenty-four  hours  in  the  comparative 
comfort  of  a  harbour. 

It  must  not  be  imagined,  however,  that  a  stand- 
off meant  entire  idleness  or  thorough  rest.  There 
were  duties  to  perform  which  robbed  it  of  much 
that  it  was  intended  to  give.  Ships  had  to  be 

133 


The  Mysteries  of 

coaled,  provisioned,  painted  or  repaired.  Engines 
had  to  be  overhauled,  sentries  posted  ashore, 
a  guard  to  be  furnished,  and  every  day  one  ship  in 
each  unit  that  was  in  harbour  had  to  be  manned 
and  in  readiness  for  emergencies. 

HYDROPHONE  FLOTILLAS 

We  now  come  to  the  actual  methods  employed 
by  surface  craft  when  attacking  submarines. 
Although,  as  previously  stated,  much  was  left  to 
individual  initiative,  there  were,  nevertheless, 
certain  recognised  methods. 

Taking  as  an  example  the  operations  of  a  hydro- 
phone flotilla  of  armed  motor  launches,  the  number 
of  vessels  forming  the  unit  was  usually  five.  When 
out  scouting  for  the  enemy  they  proceeded  in  line- 
abreast  for  about  one  sea  mile,  then  stopped  their 
engines  and  listened  on  their  hydrophones  for  the 
noise  of  a  submarine  cruising  in  the  vicinity.  If 
nothing  was  heard  the  mile-long  line  of  miniature 
warships  advanced  another  mile  and  again  stopped 
to  listen.  This  manoeuvre  was  repeated  until  one 
or  other  of  the  ships  heard  the  familiar  sound  of  a 
U-boat.  Nothing  might  be  visible  on  the  surface 
of  the  sea,  but  if  this  was  the  case  and  the  noise 
came  up  from  the  ocean  depths  over  the  electrified 
wires  of  the  detector,  it  was  conclusive  proof  that 
a  submarine  was  in  the  near  vicinity. 

The  M.L.  first  detecting  the  noise  hoisted  a 
signal  (flag  by  day  and  coloured  electric  light  by 
night),  giving  the  direction  from  which  the  sound 

134 


Submarine  Hunting  Explained 

came  (see  Fig.  22).  The  next  ship  in  the  line  to 
receive  the  sound  on  its  instruments  then  hoisted 
a  signal,  also  giving  the  bearing — i.e.  N.N.W., 
E.S.E.,  etc.  If  the  two  coincided  in  regard  to 
direction,  the  attack  commenced.  If,  however, 
they  did  not  agree  in  this  important  respect,  the 
line  of  patrol  ships  advanced  another  mile  and 
listened  again. 

The  flag-ship  of  the  unit  on  receiving  the  direc- 
tion from  one  or  more  ships  marked  the  lines  of 
sound  on  a  chart  (as  in  Fig.  22),  and  when  this  was 
substantiated  by  another  ship  the  point  where  the 
two  lines  crossed  was  known  to  be  the  position  of 
the  hostile  submarine,  and  the  attack  was  ordered. 

As  to  the  exact  method  of  an  anti-submarine 
attack  little  need  be  said  here  beyond  the  fact  that 
the  ships  advanced  at  full  speed,  manoeuvring 
into  a  special  formation  which  enabled  them  to 
cover  about  half  a  square  mile  of  sea  with  the 
explosive  force  of  their  collective  depth  charges. 

When  the  attack  had  been  completed  all  vessels 
engaged  resumed  their  stations  and  waited  with 
quick-firing  guns  ready  in  case  the  monster  should 
rise  from  the  deep  to  make  a  dying  effort  to  destroy 
her  pursuers. 

The  tactical  methods  of  anti-submarine  attack 
were,  of  course,  numerous,  and  they  varied  accord- 
ing to  the  speed  of  the  surface  ships  engaged. 
What  was  possible  of  accomplishment  by  fast- 
moving  coastal  motor  boats  or  the  larger-sized 
M.L.'s  proved  impracticable  for  the  more  heavily 
armed  but  slow-moving  trawlers  and  drifters.  The 

135 


The  Mysteries  of 

tactics  of  these  latter  craft  were  often  of  the 
simplest  character,  and  consisted  principally  of 
either  independent  attacks  with  the  aid  of  hydro- 
phones and  depth  charges,  or,  more  frequently,  the 
assumption  of  an  innocent  air  in  order  to  induce 
the  submarine  to  open  the  attack  at  close  range. 

In  many  respects  this  proved  the  most  effective 
method  of  anti-submarine  warfare.  Not  only  did 
it  frequently  cause  the  under -water  craft  to  rise  to 
the  surface  and  commence  the  attack  by  gun-fire, 
in  order  not  to  expend  a  valuable  torpedo  on  what 
appeared  to  be  an  unarmed  and  helpless  ship,  but 
it  also  produced  a  moral  effect  throughout  the 
German  submarine  flotillas. 

When  a  few  U-boats  had  been  either  sunk  or 
damaged  in  this  way  the  news  that  every  Allied 
ship  was  heavily  armed  circulated  among  the 
enemy  personnel,  and  they  became  very  nervous 
of  attacking  in  any  position  except  totally  sub- 
merged. This  meant  the  loss  of  at  least  one 
torpedo,  out  of  from  five  to  ten  carried,  for  every 
attack  made,  whether  successful  or  unsuccessful, 
and  the  latter  were  predominant. 

It  soon  became  apparent  that  either  they  must 
risk  surface  attacks  and  so  save  their  torpedoes, 
or  else  curtail  their  cruises  to  meet  the  rapid  ex- 
penditure of  their  only  submarine  weapon.  This 
does  not,  of  course,  cover  the  activities  of  under- 
water mine-layers,  whose  nefarious  purpose  con- 
sisted simply  of  laying  their  mines  wherever  they 
appeared  most  likely  to  catch  Allied  shipping. 
These  craft  were  usually  armed  with  torpedoes 


Submarine  Hunting  Explained 

as  well  as  mines,  to  enable  them  to  continue  the 
work  of  destruction  when  the  cargo  of  the  latter  had 
been  safely  laid.  In  this  way  the  problem  of  com- 
bating the  German  submarine  offensive  resolved 
itself  into  two  parts,  one  being  to  checkmate  the 
commerce  raider  and  the  other  the  mine-layer. 
With  the  second  of  these  difficulties  we  shall  deal 
in  a  later  chapter. 

Many  merchantmen,  both  Allied  and  neutral, 
owed  their  escape  to  this  camouflage  warfare, 
which  was  brought  to  a  high  pitch  of  perfection 
and  daring  in  the  now  famous  mystery  ships. 

What  may  be  said  to  form  the  second  method  of 
anti-submarine  warfare  was  the  decoy  or  camou- 
flage system.  Of  primary  importance  in  this 
category  were  the  mystery  ships  already  described, 
but  there  were  also  innumerable  other  ruses  de 
guerre  which  increased  its  efficiency. 

To  describe  one  of  these  will  enable  the  reader  to 
draw  on  his  own  imagination  for  the  remainder.  A 
vessel  was  steaming  in  from  the  Atlantic  and  was 
about  a  hundred  miles  from  the  Cornish  coast  when 
she  was  attacked  by  a  submarine  above  water. 
The  surface  ship  was  heavily  armed,  but  instead  of 
using  her  weapons  at  once  she  sent  out  frantic 
wireless  signals  for  assistance.  Every  few  minutes 
the  call  went  far  and  wide  in  plain  Morse. 

The  shells  from  the  submarine  splashed  in* o  the 
sea  around,  but  none  struck  the  target  for  some 
minutes.  Had  the  surface  ship  desired,  she  could 
in  all  probability  have  avoided  the  under-water 
craft  by  using  her  superior  speed,  but  instead  she 

137 


The  Mysteries  of 

dropped  back,  allowing  the  submarine  to  catch  up 
to  her,  and  the  shells  began  to  burst  unpleasantly 
close. 

Still  the  frantic  wireless  calls  went  forth.  First 
the  simple  message  :  "I  am  being  attacked  by  a 
large  German  submarine."  Then  the  vehemence 
increased  to:  "I  am  being  heavily  shelled." 
A  few  minutes  elapsed  and  then  the  call  : 
"  Help.  Submarine  gaining  on  me."  And  finally  : 
"  Abandoning  ship." 

At  this  point  the  submarine  was  close  astern  and 
the  liner  slowing  down  preparatory  to  lowering  her 
life-boats.  The  shells  were  damaging  her  super- 
structure, but  a  heavy  swell  interfered  with  the 
German  marksmanship.  Then  came  the  surprise. 
A  life-boat  on  the  liner's  poop  was  hoisted  clear  of 
the  deck  and  from  under  its  cover  there  appeared 
the  lean  grey  muzzle  of  a  47-inch  gun.  A  few 
sharp  blasts  of  cordite  and  the  submarine  sagged 
and  disappeared. 

The  captain  of  the  liner  had  noticed  when  first 
attacked  that  the  submarine  was  fitted  with  wire- 
less and  the  calls  sent  out  by  him  were  in  plain 
Morse  code.  On  the  strength  of  these  the  German 
commander  had  saved  his  torpedoes  but  lost  his 
ship. 

Another  form  of  anti-submarine  tactics  was  the 
employment  of  indicator  and  mined  nets  around 
an  apparently  disabled  ship,  or  in  lines  across 
narrow  channels  known  to  be  used  by  German  sub- 
marines on  their  way  to  and  from  their  bases.  This 

138 


Submarine  Hunting  Explained 

method  has,  however,  received  full  mention  in  other 
chapters. 

What  may  be  termed  the  third  system  of  anti- 
submarine warfare  was  the  use  of  extensive  mine 
barriers,  specially  laid  to  catch  submarines 
attempting  to  pass  through  them  under  water. 
The  surface  of  the  sea  was  patrolled  by  shallow  - 
draft  vessels  and  the  under-seas  guarded  by  mines. 
If  a  submarine  was  sighted  in  the  vicinity  of  one 
of  the  mine  barriers  already  described  she  was 
attacked  and  forced  to  submerge  herself  in  order 
to  escape  destruction  from  the  guns  of  the  pursuing 
surface  flotilla.  From  that  moment  her  fate  was 
sealed.  By  cautious  manoeuvring  and  using  to 
full  advantage  their  great  superiority  of  speed 
(20-40  knots  against  6-10  knots)  the  surface  ships 
were  able  to  head  their  quarry  into  the  mine-field. 
Usually  the  submarine  dived  deep  in  order  to 
throw  her  pursuers  off  the  track,  and  all  uncon- 
scious of  the  deep-laid  mines  in  thousands  she 
plunged  to  her  doom — a  heavy  rumble,  followed  by 
an  upheaval  of  the  surface,  and  the  chase  was  over. 

This  method,  when  carried  out  on  the  vast  and 
scientifically  sound  principle  described  in  a  pre- 
vious chapter,  offers  the  best  possible  antidote 
to  the  submarine.  Its  employment  in  the  Great 
European  War  placed  the  seal  of  complete  success 
on  the  Allied  anti-submarine  offensive.  It  should, 
however,  be  remembered  that  comparatively 
narrow  seas  and  a  restricted  zone  of  major  opera- 
tions made  possible  of  accomplishment  with  some 

139 


The  Mysteries  of 

hundreds  of  thousands  of  mines  (average  cost, 
£400)  what  would  in  many  cases  and  in  many 
seas  have  been  quite  impracticable  with  as  many 
millions  of  these  difficult  weapons. 

The  employment  of  submarines  against  sub- 
marines also  forms  a  method  of  under-sea  warfare 
which  gives  considerable  scope  for  both  daring 
and  resource.  It  is  of  course  quite  impossible  for 
one  of  these  vessels  when  totally  submerged  to 
fight  another  in  the  same  blind  condition.  But 
with  just  the  small  periscopic  tube — or  eye  of 
the  submarine — projecting  above  the  surface,  one 
craft  can  scout  and  watch  for  another  to  rise  to 
the  surface,  thinking  no  enemy  is  near,  in  order 
to  replenish  her  air  supply  for  breathing  or  for 
recharging  the  electric  storage  batteries  which 
supply  the  current  for  submerged  propulsion. 

When  such  a  position  obtains  the  submarine 
which  comes  unknowingly  to  the  surface  stands  a 
grave  danger  of  being  torpedoed  by  her  opponent. 
This  actually  occurred  to  at  least  one  German 
U-boat  during  the  Great  War. 

One  or  more  submarines  can  also  be  employed 
around  a  slow-moving  decoy  ship.  In  this  case 
they  would  have  the  advantage  of  being  invisible 
until  the  actual  moment  of  attack.  The  result  of 
such  a  manoeuvre  would  be  either  a  gun  duel  on 
the  surface  or  the  torpedoing  of  the  attacking 
submarine  by  one  or  other  vessel  of  the  decoy's 
submerged  escort. 

It  was  a  ruse  of  this  kind  which  achieved  success 

140 


Submarine  Hunting  Explained 

in  the  North  Sea  during  the  early  stages  of  the  war. 
A  trawler  was  employed  to  tow  a  submarine  by  a 
submerged  hawser.  This  mode  of  progress  was 
adopted  to  enable  the  submarine  to  economise  the 
strictly  limited  supply  of  electricity  carried  for 
under-water  propulsion. 

The  trawler  then  cruised  very  slowly  about, 
dragging  the  submarine  under  the  surface  behind 
her.  In  order  to  divert  any  suspicion  which  might 
have  been  aroused  by  her  slow  speed  she  was  rigged 
so  as  to  give  the  impression  that  a  net  was  being 
towed,  and  the  area  of  operations  chosen  was 
well-known  fishing-ground. 

In  this  curious  way  days  were  spent  before  the 
desired  consummation  was  reached.  Then  a  large 
U-boat  came  boldly  to  the  surface  and  opened  fire. 
Instantly  the  submarine  astern  of  the  trawler 
was  released  from  the  tow  rope  and  forged  ahead 
under  her  own  electric  engines.  The  commander 
of  the  surface  decoy  stopped  his  ship  and  com- 
menced lowering  the  small  life-boat  carried.  This 
was  done  in  order  to  distract  the  attention  of 
the  Germans  from  the  tiny  periscope  which  was 
planing  through  the  water  to  the  attack. 

A  shell  struck  the  trawler,  carrying  away  her 
funnel,  but  did  no  other  damage,  and  a  few  seconds 
later  the  water  around  the  U-boat  rose  up  in  a  vast 
upheaval  of  white.  The  plan  had  succeeded,  and 
when  the  air  cleared  of  the  smoke  from  the  trawler's 
damaged  stack  there  was  nothing  afloat  on  the 
surface  of  the  sea  around — except  an  ever-widening 
patch  of  oil  and  bubbles. 

141 


Submarine  Hunting  Explained 

A  few  minutes  later  the  thin  grey  line  of  the 
British  submarine  rose  above  the  swell  some 
five  hundred  yards  distant  from  the  scene  of  her 
triumph. 

Another  means  b>y  which  one  subaqueous  fleet 
can  attack  another  is  by  laying  mines  in  the  seas 
around  the  enemy  base. 

These  simple  methods  formed  what  may  be 
termed  the  backbone  of  the  widespread  anti-sub- 
marine operations  during  the  Great  War,  but  with 
the  experience  gained  and  the  brains  of  almost 
every  nation  focussed  on  the  problem  of  providing 
an  effective  counterblast  to  the  under-water  war- 
ship, there  can  be  little  doubt  that  in  the  next 
great  naval  conflict  new  and  more  scientific  means 
of  attacking  these  pests  of  the  sea  will  have  been 
perfected,  though  what  degree  of  success  they 
will  attain  in  the  stern  trial  of  war  the  future 
alone  can  tell.1 

1  For  a  careful  study  of  the  effect  of  the  submarine  on  the  old 
theories  of  sea  power  see  Submarines  and  Sea  Power,  by  Charles 
Domville-Fife  (Messrs  George  Bell  &  Sons,  Ltd.,  London,  and 
Messrs  Lippincotts,  New  York.). 


142 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE  MYSTERIES  OF  GERMAN  MINE-LAYING 
EXPLAINED 


To  those  unversed  in  modern  war  it  may  have 
appeared  strange  that,  although  the  Allied  navies 
held  command  of  the  sea  from  the  opening  of  the 
Great  War  in  1914  to  the  signature  of  Peace  in 
1919,  the  Germans  were  nevertheless  able  to  lay 
several  thousand  mines  every  year  off  the  coasts 
of  England,  France  and  even  the  most  distant 
colonies  and  dominions.  It  often  occurred  that 
harbour  entrances  and  narrow  fair -ways  were  re- 
peatedly mined,  notwithstanding  a  vigilant  day- 
and-night  watch  from  the  bridges,  look-outs  and 
decks  of  many  patrol  ships  cruising  or  listening  in 
the  vicinity. 

The  explanation  is  that  the  mines  were  laid  by 
large  submarines  capable  of  approaching  the  coast, 
laying  their  deadly  cargo  from  specially  con- 
structed stern  tubes  and  retreating  to  compara- 
tive safety  far  out  in  the  broad  ocean,  without 
rising  more  than  momentarily  to  the  surface  for 
the  purpose  of  observation. 

This,  it  may  be  said,  did  not  absolve  the  ships 
listening  on  their  hydrophones,  who  should  have 
been  able  to  detect  the  approach  of  a  submarine 
from  the  sound  of  her  engines.  During  the  first 

143 


The  Mysteries  of 

year  of  war  the  hydrophone  was  a  very  imperfect 
instrument,  and  although  the  sound  might  be 
heard  it  was  quite  impossible  to  tell  from  what 
direction  it  was  coming.  Later  on,  when  the 
listening  appliances  had  been  greatly  improved, 
there  still  remained  two  detrimental  factors.  The 
noise  of  breakers  beating  against  rocks,  sands  or 
other  obstructions  destroyed  much  of  the  value  of 
these  instruments  when  used  close  inshore.  On 
dark  and  rough  nights  the  roar  of  wind  and  sea 
and  the  lurching  of  the  vessel  rendered  subaqueous 
sounds  extremely  difficult  to  detect  ;  and  in  a  fair- 
way or  channel  used  by  surface  shipping  it  was 
frequently  impossible,  even  in  fine  but  dark 
weather,  to  tell  if  the  sound  coming  up  from  the 
sea  emanated  from  a  surface  ship  or  a  submarine. 

If,  in  the  latter  case,  the  patrol  ship  started  her 
own  engines  and  moved  forward  in  the  darkness  to 
ascertain  from  whence  the  noise  came,  she  gave 
away  her  presence  to  the  hostile  submarine,  also 
fitted  with  listening  appliances.  Whereas  if  she  re- 
mained still  and  waited  for  the  enemy  to  approach, 
mines  might  be  laid  in  the  meantime  across  im- 
portant fair -ways  which  it  was  her  duty  to  guard. 

German  mine-laying  submarines  were  designated 
U-C  boats,  and  often  these  vessels  would  employ 
a  ruse  in  order  to  lay  their  mines  in  safety.  Some- 
times a  decoy  would  draw  the  patrols  away  on  a 
fruitless  chase  while  the  mines  were  being  launched 
from  the  tubes  of  another  U-C  boat.  In  one  case 
a  big  armed  steamer  was  attacked  with  torpedoes 
while  mines  were  being  laid  across  the  line  of 

144 


A  CAPTIVE  MINE-LAYING  SUBMARINE 

U.C.  5  off  Temple  Pier,  London. 


Sport  and  General 


German  Mine-Laying  Explained 

advance  by  which  a  flotilla  of  warships  would  be 
likely  to  come  out  to  her  aid  from  a  near-by  base. 

In  these  and  other  ways  over  3000  mines  were 
laid  off  the  British  coast  in  one  year.  There 
were  also  several  raids  by  surface  mine -layers, 
which  succeeded  in  eluding  the  network  of  patrols 
in  the  fogs  and  snows  which  prevail  in  the 
North  Sea  during  several  months  out  of  every 
twelve.  The  two  most  important  of  these  were  the 
cruises  of  the  Wolfe  and  the  Moewe.  The  former 
vessel  left  Germany  during  the  November  fogs  of 
1916,  and,  by  skirting  the  Norwegian  coast,  suc- 
ceeded in  passing  the  British  patrol  flotillas.  She 
carried  500  mines,  and  after  crossing  the  North  Sea 
in  high  latitudes,  proceeded  down  the  mid- Atlantic 
until  off  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  where  the  first 
mine-field  was  laid.  She  then  crossed  the  Indian 
Ocean,  laying  fields  off  Bombay  and  Colombo. 

It  was  in  these  seas  that  she  succeeded  in  captur- 
ing a  British  merchantman.  Placing  a  German 
crew  and  a  cargo  of  mines  aboard,  she  sent  the 
prize  to  lay  a  field  off  Aden,  while  she  herself 
proceeded  to  New  Zealand.  In  these  far-distant 
waters  another  field  was  laid,  and  a  few  months 
later  the  last  of  her  cargo  was  discharged  off 
Singapore.  /  From  this  time  onward  she  became  a 
commerce  raider. 

The  Moewe  left  Germany  in  December,  1916,  and 
crossed  the  North  Sea  amid  heavy  snow  squalls. 
Proceeding  into  the  North  Atlantic,  she  awaited 
a  favourable  opportunity  to  approach  the  British 
coast.  This  came  one  wild  January  night  with  a 
K  145 


The  Mysteries  of 


FIG.  23. — A  typical  German  mine  and  sinker.  A.  The  mine-casing 
containing  about  300  Ib.  of  high  explosive,  and  the  electric 
firing  device  which  is  put  in  force  when  the  horns  B  are  struck 
and  bent  by  a  passing  ship.  B.  Horns,  made  of  lead  and  easily 
bent  if  touched  by  a  surface  ship,  but  sufficiently  rigid  to  resist 
blows  by  sea-water.  C.  Hydrostatic  device,  operated  by  the 
pressure  of  the  water  at  a  given  depth,  rendering  the  mine 
safe  until  submerged.  D.  Slings  holding  mine  to  mooring 
rope  F.  F.  Mooring  rope  to  reel  in  sinker.  G.  Reel  of  mooring 
wire,  which  unwinds  when  the  mine  floats  to  the  surface.  H. 
Iron  supports  held  together  (as  in  small  left-hand  diagram)  by 
a  band  round  the  mine-casing.  The  mine  goes  overboard  and 
sinks  like  this  to  the  bottom.  The  band  is  then  released  by  a 
special  device,  and  the  supports  drop  away,  leaving  the  mine 
free  to  float  to  the  surface  (as  in  small  right-hand  diagram). 
J.  A  heavy  iron  sinker  which  acts  as  an  anchor,  holding  the 
mine  in  one  position. 

146 


German  Mine-Laying  Explained 

rising  gale  and  a  haze  of  snow.  All  her  mines, 
about  400  in  number,  were  laid  off  the  Scottish 
coast  in  the  teeth  of  a  nor'wester.  Then,  with  the 


FIG.  24.— -Diagram  illustrating  the  effect  of  tide  on  a  moored  mine 
A  vessel  is  approaching  a  mine  D,  moored  to  the  bottom  by  a 
sinker  H.  The  distance  from  the  top  of  the  horns  of  the  mine 
to  the  surface  of  the  sea  is  approximately  5  feet  at  low  tide,  and 
as  the  vessel's  draught  is  7  feet  she  would  strike  the  mine.  If, 
however,  the  same  vessel  passed  over  the  same  mine  a  few  hours 
later,  at  high  tide,  the  level  of  the  sea  would  have  risen  5  feet, 
and  the  mine  would  then  be  10  feet  below  the  surface  ;  in 
which  case  the  ship  would  just  pass  over  in  safety.  This  is 
known  as  the  "tide  difficulty/'  There  is,  in  addition,  the 
"dip  "  of  the  mine  due  to  the  strength  of  the  tidal  current. 
E  and  F  show  what  is  meant  by  the  dip  of  a  mine.  It  is  the  de- 
flection from  the  vertical  caused  by  the  ebb  and  flow  of  the  tide. 
It  frequently  causes  a  mine-field  to  be  quite  harmless  to  passing 
surface  craft  except  during  the  period  of  slack  water  between 
tides. 

"  jolly  Roger  at  the  fore,"  she  steamed  out  on  to 
the  wastes  of  sea  lying  between  the  New  World 
and  the  Old. 

We  now  come  to  the  mines  themselves  and  the 

147 


The  Mysteries  of 

method  of  laying  them  both  above  and  below  the 
surface. 

A  good  idea  of  the  shape,  size  and  general 
characteristics  of  these  weapons  will  be  obtained 
from  the  accompanying  diagrams.  On  being  dis- 
charged into  the  sea  they  automatically  adjust 
themselves  to  float  about  ten  feet  below  the  surface 
(according  to  tide)  and  are  anchored  to  the  bottom 
by  means  of  a  wire  mooring  rope  attached  to  a 
heavy  sinker.  To  describe  here  the  mechanical 
details  of  all  the  different  types  of  German  sub- 
marine mines  would  occupy  many  pages  with  un- 
interesting technical  formulae.  It  is  sufficient  to 
say  that  they  carried  an  explosive  charge  (200  to 
400  Ib.  of,  T.N.T.)  sufficient  to  blow  to  pieces 
vessels  of  several  hundred  tons  and  to  seriously 
damage  the  largest  warship.  They  were  intended 
to  float  a  few  feet  below  the  surface — being  held 
down  by  the  mooring  rope — but,  as  there  was  no 
means  of  compensating  for  the  rise  and  fall  of  the 
tide,  many  of  them  often  showed  their  horns  above 
the  surface  at  low  water  and  were  immersed  too 
deep  to  be  of  much  use  against  any  but  the  deepest 
draught  ships  at  high  tide.  A  reference  to  Fig.  24 
will  make  this  difficulty  clear. 

There  was  scarcely  a  ship  afloat  in  the  zone  of 
operations  which  did  not,  during  those  years  of 
storm,  sight  one  or  more  of  these  hateful  weapons 
with  their  horns  showing  above  the  surface.  Motor 
launches  were  employed  to  scout  for  them  during 
the  hour  before  and  the  hour  after  low  water.  In 
this  way  many  hundreds  were  discovered  and 

148 


German  Mine-Laying  Explained 

destroyed  almost  as  soon  as  they  had  been  laid. 
One  badly  laid  mine,  which  shows  on  the  surface 
when  the  tide  ebbs,  will  often  give  away  a  whole 
field  of  these  otherwise  invisible  weapons,  and  the 
work  of  sweeping  them  up  and  destroying  them  is 
then  rendered  comparatively  easy. 

The  effect  of  strong  tides  on  a  moored  mine  is  con- 
siderable, and  will  render  a  field  quite  harmless  for 
several  hours  out  of  every  twenty-four.  The  reason 
for  this  is  best  described  with  the  aid  of  a  diagram. 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  above  that  the  mine  will 
not  remain  vertically  above  its  sinker  when  there 
is  a  tide,  but  will  incline  at  an  angle  determined  by 
the  strength  of  the  current,  which,  if  considerable, 
will  press  the  weapon  down  much  deeper  than  the 
keel  of  any  ship  (see  Fig.  24).  When  the  tide 
turns  the  mine  will  first  regain  its  true  perpen- 
dicular position  and  then  incline  in  the  opposite 
direction,  accommodating  itself  to  the  ebb  and 
flow.  From  this  it  will  be  apparent  that  in  places 
where  there  is  a  strong  current  or  tide  a  mine- field 
is  only  dangerous  to  passing  ships  of  shallow  or 
medium  draft  for  a  few  hours  (during  slack  water) 
out  of  the  twenty-four.  Between  the  ebb  and 
the  flow  of  a  tide  there  is  a  short  period  when  the 
water  is  almost  still.  Then  the  movement  begins 
to  set  in  from  the  opposite  direction  and  gradually 
gains  in  speed  until  about  one  hour  before  high  or 
low  tide.  This  period  of  what  is  known  as  "  slack 
water  "  varies  considerably  in  different  places  and 
different  weather  conditions,  but  plays  an  impor- 
tant part  in  all  minesweeping  operations. 

149 


The  Mysteries  of 

In  this  way  many  a  ship  has  passed  over  a  mine- 
field all  unconscious  of  the  fate  which  would  have 
befallen  her  had  she  traversed  the  same  area  of  sea 
an  hour  or  so  earlier  or  later. 

Mines  which  break  adrift,  or  are  laid  without 
moorings  of  any  kind,  are  called  floating  mines. 
The  latter  are  a  direct  violation  of  International 
Law,  as  they  cannot  be  recovered  when  once  they 
have  been  laid,  and  become  a  danger  to  neutral  as 
well  as  to  enemy  shipping.  The  laws  of  civilised 
warfare  also  require  even  a  moored  mine  to  be 
fitted  with  some  mechanical  device  which  renders 
it  safe  when  once  it  has  broken  adrift  from  the 
wire  and  heavy  sinker  which  holds  it  in  a  stated 
position.  The  reason  for  this  humanitarian  rule  is 
that  neutrals  can  be  warned  not  to  approach  a 
given  area  of  sea  in  which  there  are  moored  mines, 
but  if  these  weapons  break  adrift — as  they  fre- 
quently do  in  heavy  weather — and  float  all  over 
the  oceans,  they  would  seriously  endanger  the 
lives  and  property  of  neutral  states  unless  some- 
thing were  done  to  render  them  innocuous. 

The  total  disregard  of  all  the  laws  and  customs 
of  civilised  warfare  by  the  Germans  in  1914-1919 
has  now  been  so  well  established  that  it  seems 
almost  unnecessary  to  give  yet  another  instance 
of  this  callousness.  In  the  case  about  to  be  quoted, 
however,  there  is,  as  the  reader  will  observe,  an 
almost  superlative  cunning. 

Any  cursory  examination  of  a  German  moored 
mine  will  show  that  there  is  a  device  fitted 
ostensibly  to  ensure  the  weapon  becoming  safe 

150 


German  Mine-Laying  Explained 

when  it  breaks  adrift  from  its  moorings  and  thus 
complying  with  The  Hague  Convention.  For 
several  months  after  the  outbreak  of  war  it  puzzled 
many  minesweeping  officers  and  men  why,  with 
this  device  fitted,  every  German  floating  or  drifting 
mine  was  dangerous.  A  few,  relying  on  these 
weapons  being  safe  when  adrift,  had  endeavoured 
to  salve  one  and  had  paid  for  the  experiment  with 
the  lives  of  themselves  and  their  comrades.  This 
caused  every  mine,  whether  moored  or  adrift,  to  be 
regarded  by  seamen  as  dangerous,  notwithstanding 
the  oft-repeated  assurances  that  German  mines 
fulfilled  all  International  requirements  in  this 
respect.  Then  a  mine  which  had  broken  away 
from  its  moorings  was  successfully  salved,  in  face 
of  the  great  danger  involved,  and  the  truth  came 
out. 

A  device  was  fitted  to  render  it  safe,  but,  with 
truly  Hunnish  ingenuity,  the  metal  out  of  which 
an  essential  part  of  this  appliance  was  made  was 
quite  unable  to  bear  the  strain  imposed  by  its 
work,  and,  to  make  doubly  sure,  another  part  was 
half  filed  through.  The  result  was  that,  instead  of 
rendering  the  mine  safe  when  torn  from  its  moor- 
ings by  rough  seas,  the  essential  parts  broke  and 
left  the  mine  fully  alive. 

Any  discovery  such  as  this — only  made  at  the 
great  risk  of  salving  a  live  mine — could  be  easily 
explained  away  by  German  diplomacy  as  faulty 
workmanship  in  a  particular  weapon,  reliance 
being  placed  on  the  fact  that  not  many  mines  could 
be  salved  in  this  way  without  heavy  loss  of  life  ;  but 


The  Mysteries  of 

numbers  were  recovered  in  spite  of  the  dangers  and 
extraordinary  difficulties  of  such  operations,  and 
the  guilt  was  for  ever  established  in  the  minds  of 
those  who  sail  the  seas. 

Little  need  be  said  here  regarding  the  method  of 
laying  mines  from  surface  ships  like  the  Wolfe  and 
Moewe.  The  weapons  were  arranged  to  run  along 
the  decks  on  railway  lines  and  roll  off  the  stern,  or 
through  a  large  port-hole,  into  the  sea  as  the  vessel 
steamed  along. 

With  submarine  mine-layers  or  U-C  boats  the 
method  was,  however,  much  more  complicated 
and  needs  full  description.  Each  vessel  was 
fitted  with  large  expulsion  tubes  in  the  stern 
and  carried  some  eighteen  to  twenty  mines. 
These  weapons,  although  similar  in  their  internal 
mechanism  to  he  ordinary  mine,  were  specially 
designed  for  expulsion  from  submerged  tubes  or 
chambers. 

The  mines  were  stored  in  the  stern  compartment 
of  the  submarine,  between  guide-rails  fitted  with 
rollers.  They  were  in  two  rows  and  moved  easily 
on  the  well-greased  wheels.  The  loading  was 
accomplished  through  water-tight  hatchways  in 
the  deck  above.  In  order  to  expel  these  mines 
from  the  interior  of  the  submarine  when  travelling 
under  the  surface  each  weapon  had  to  be  moved 
into  a  short  expulsion  tube  or  chamber,  the  inner 
cap  of  which  was  closed  when  a  mine  was  inside, 
and  the  outer  or  sea-cap  opened.  A  supply 
of  compressed  air  was  then  admitted  into  the 
back  of  the  tube  and  the  mine  forced  out  into 

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German  Mine-Laying  Explained 

the  open  sea,  in  the  same  way  as  a  torpedo  is  now 
expelled  from  a  submerged  tube. 

Before  another  mine  could  be  launched  the  sea- 
cap  had  to  be  closed,  the  water  blown  from  the 
tube,  the  inner  cap  opened  and  a  second  mine 
placed  ready  in  the  chamber.  This,  however,  did 
not  end  the  difficulty  of  laying  mines  from  sub- 
marines. The  increase  in  the  buoyancy  of  the 
boat,  due  to  the  loss  of  weight  as  each  mine  was 
discharged  into  the  sea,  had  to  be  instantly  and 
automatically  compensated  by  the  admission  of 
quantities  of  sea-water  of  equal  weight  into  special 
tanks,  hitherto  empty,  situated  below  the  mine- 
tubes.  If  this  had  been  neglected  the  submarine 
would  have  come  quickly  to  the  surface,  stern 
uppermost,  owing  to  the  lightening  of  the  hull  by 
the  expulsion  therefrom  of  some  fifteen  weapons 
weighing  many  hundreds  of  pounds  each. 

When  the  mine  was  clear  of  the  submarine  it 
sank  to  the  bottom,  owing  to  the  weight  of  the 
sinker  or  anchor.  After  a  short  immersion,  how- 
ever, a  special  device  enabled  the  top  half,  contain- 
ing the  charge  of  explosive  and  the  contact  firing 
horns,  to  part  company  with  the  heavy  lower  half, 
composed  of  the  iron  sinker  and  the  reel  of  mooring 
wire.  The  explosive  section  then  floated  up  to- 
wards the  surface,  unwinding  the  wire  from  the 
sinker. 

Each  mine  being  set,  before  discharge,  to  a  cer- 
tain prearranged  depth  (obtained  by  the  captain 
of  the  U-C  boat  either  by  sounding  wires  or  from 
special  charts  showing  the  depth  of  water  in  feet), 

153 


The  Mysteries  of 

the  weapon  could  not  rise  quite  up  to  the  surface, 
being  checked  in  its  ascent,  when  ten  feet  from 
the  top,  by  the  mooring  wire  refusing  to  unwind 
farther. 

This  may  sound  a  little  involved,  but  a  careful 
study  of  the  accompanying  diagrams  will  make 
the  various  movements  of  the  mine  and  its  sinker, 
after  leaving  the  submarine,  quite  clear  to  the  lay 
reader. 

There  were  also  other  types  of  mines  employed. 
Some  were  fitted  with  an  automatic  device  which 
was  actuated  by  the  pressure  of  the  water  at  a  set 
depth.  These  weapons  could  be  expelled  from 
submarines  without  the  necessity  of  knowing  and 
adjusting  the  depth  at  which  they  were  to  float 
below  the  surface.  A  mine  of  this  pattern  rose  up, 
after  discharge  from  the  tube,  until  the  pressure  of 
water  on  its  casing  was  reduced  to  4!  Ib.  per 
square  inch  (the  pressure  which  obtains  at  a  depth 
of  ten  feet  below  the  surface1),  and  there  the 
weapon  stopped,  waiting  patiently  for  its  prey. 

Another  kind  of  mine  was  of  the  floating  variety 
—  tabooed  by  The  Hague  Convention  —  which 
drifted  along  under  the  surface  with  no  moorings 
to  hold  it  in  one  position. 

Now  that  the  reader  is  familiar  with  the  mines 
themselves  and  the  actual  methods  of  laying  them, 
we  can  pass  on  to  a  brief  ijeview  of  the  German 
mine-laying  policy  during  the  Great  War. 

1  The  question  of  water  pressures  and  many  other  problems  of 
submarine  engineering  relating  to  under-water  fighting  are  fully  treated 
in  Submarine  Engineering  of  To-day -,  by  the  Author. 

154 


German  Mine-Laying  Explained 

The  submarine  offensive  reached  its  maximum 
intensity  in  1916-1917,  during  which  period  no  less 
than  7000  mines  were  destroyed  by  the  British 
navy  alone.1  Of  this  number  about  2000  were  drift- 
ing when  discovered.  There  was,  with  one  small 
exception,  no  portion  of  the  coast  of  the  United 
Kingdom  which  was  not  mined  at  least  once 
during  those  eventful  two  years,  the  unmined  area 
being  undoubtedly  left  clear  to  facilitate  a  raid  or 
invasion.  About  200  minesweeping  vessels  were 
blown  up  or  seriously  damaged,  but  the  losses 
among  the  Mercantile  Marine  were  kept  down  to 
less  than  300  ships  out  of  the  5000  sailings  which, 
on  an  average,  took  place  weekly. 

The  heavy  losses  inflicted  on  the  enemy's  sub- 
marine fleets  in  1917  marked  the  turning  of  the 
tide,  and  from  that  date  onwards  there  was  a 
steady  but  sure  reduction  in  the  number  of  mines 
laid. 

During  the  first  twelve  months  of  the  intensified 
submarine  war  the  Germans  concentrated  their 
mine -lay  ing  on  the  food  routes  from  the  United 
States,  the  sea  communications  of  the  Grand  Fleet 
off  the  east  coast  of  Scotland  and  the  line  of  supply 
to  France.  Then,  when  they  commenced  to 
realise  the  impossibility  of  starving  the  sea-girt 
island,  and  the  weight  of  the  ever-increasing 
British  armies  began  to  tell  in  the  land  war,  the 
submarine  policy  changed  to  conform  with  the 

1  A  few  of  the  7000  were  British  mines  no  longer  required  in  the 
positions  in  which  they  had  been  laid. 

155 


German  Mine-Laying  Explained 

general  strategy  of  the  High  Command,  and  the 
troop  convoy  bases  and  routes  were  the  objects  of 
special  attack. 

The  arrival  in  Europe  of  the  advance  guard  of  the 
United  States  army  caused  another  change  in  the 
submarine  strategy.  From  that  time  onwards 
the  Atlantic  routes  assumed  a  fresh  importance 
and  became  the  major  zone  of  operations. 

In  the  first  year  of  the  war  the  U-C  boats  dis- 
charged their  cargoes  of  mines  as  soon  as  they  could 
reach  their  respective  areas  of  operation.  The 
mines  were  usually  laid  close  together  in  one  field, 
frequently  situated  off  some  prominent  headland, 
or  at  a  point  where  trade  routes  converged.  Then 
the  enemy  learned  to  respect  the  British  mine- 
sweeping  and  patrol  organisation,  and  endeavoured 
to  lay  their  "  sea-gulls'  eggs  "  in  waters  which  had 
been  recently  swept,  or  where  sweeping  forces 
appeared  to  be  weak  in  numbers. 

When  this  failed  they  played  their  last  card, 
scattering  the  mines  in  twos  and  threes  over  wide 
areas  of  sea.  To  meet  this  new  mode  of  attack 
large  numbers  of  shallow-draught  M.L.'s  were  em- 
ployed to  scout  for  the  mines  at  low  water. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  the  great  Allied  mine 
barriers  across  the  entrances  and  exits  to  and  from 
the  North  Sea  were  completed  and  the  losses  among 
the  U  and  U-C  boats  became  heavy.  A  rapid 
abatement  in  the  submarine  offensive  soon  became 
apparent,  and  utter  failure  was  only  a  matter  of 
time. 

156 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE    MYSTERIES    OF    MINESWEEPING 
EXPLAINED 

THE  task  which  confronted  the  naval  minesweeping 
organisations  in  the  years  succeeding  4th  August 
1914  was  an  appalling  one.  Any  square  yard  of 
sea  around  the  1500  miles  of  coast-line  of  the  British 
Isles  might  be  mined  at  any  moment  of  any  day 
or  night.  There  were,  in  addition,  the  widely 
scattered  fields  laid  by  surface  raiders  like  the 
Wolfe  and  the  Moewe,  which,  as  described  in  a 
previous  chapter,  extended  their  operations  to 
the  uttermost  ends  of  the  earth.  A  wonderfully 
efficient  patrol  of  the  danger  zones  had  its  effect 
in  reducing  the  number  of  submarine  mine-layers 
available  to  the  enemy  and  in  rendering  both  diffi- 
cult and  hazardous  the  successful  execution  of  their 
work,  but  neither  a  predominant  and  subse- 
quently victorious  fleet,  nor  an  equally  skilful  and 
alert  patrol,  could  guarantee  the  immunity  of  any 
considerable  area  of  sea  from  mines. 

The  Germans  laid  many  thousands  of  these 
deadly  and  invisible  weapons  in  the  140,000  square 
miles  of  sea  around  the  British  Isles  alone  in  the 
face  of  over  2000  warships.  To  search  for  these 
patches  of  death  in  the  wastes  of  water  may  well 
be  likened  to  exploring  for  the  proverbial  "  needle 

157 


The  Mysteries  of 

in  a  haystack/'  Yet  the  sweepers,  whose  sole 
duty  it  was  to  fill  this  breach  in  the  gigantic  system 
of  Allied  naval  defence,  explored  daily  and  almost 
hourly,  for  over  four  years,  the  vast  ocean  depths, 
discovering  and  destroying  some  7000  German 
mines,  with  a  loss  of  200  vessels  of  their  number. 
The  result  of  this  silent  victory  over  one  of  the 
greatest  perils  that  ever  threatened  the  Sea  Empire 
was  that  some  5000  food,  munition  and  troop  ships 
were  able  to  enter  and  leave  the  ports  of  the  United 
Kingdom  weekly  with  a  remarkably  small  percent- 
age of  loss  from  a  peril  which  might  easily  have 
proved  disastrous  to  the  entire  Allied  cause. 

This,  then,  in  broad  outline,  was  the  task  which 
confronted  this  section  of  the  naval  service,  and  its 
successful  accomplishment  forged  a  big  link  in  the 
steel  chain  encompassing  the  glorious  victory. 

Before  passing  on  to  describe  the  ships  and  the 
appliances  used  it  is  first  necessary  to  give  a  more 
detailed  account  of  the  operations  generally  in- 
cluded under  the  heading  of  minesweeping.  As  it 
was  impossible  to  tell  exactly  where  mines  would 
be  laid  from  day  to  day,  an  immense  area  of  sea 
had  to  be  covered  by  what  was  known  as  explora- 
tory sweeping.  This  consisted  of  many  units  of 
ships  emerging  from  the  different  anti-submarine 
bases  almost  every  day  throughout  the  year  and 
proceeding  to  allotted  areas  of  water,  where  they 
commenced  sweeping  north,  south,  east  or  west,  in 
an  endeavour  to  discover  if  the  areas  in  question 
were  safe  for  mercantile  traffic.  If  no  mines  were 
discovered  that  particular  area  would  be  reported 

158 


Minesweeping  Explained 

safe,  but  if  only  one  of  these  weapons  was  cut  from 
its  mooring  by  a  sweep-wire  the  area  would  be 
closed  to  merchant  ships  until  the  sea  around  was 
definitely  cleared  of  the  hidden  danger.  This 
system  of  open  and  closed  areas  entailed  an 
enormous  amount  of  efficient  administrative  staff 
work  apart  from  the  actual  sweeping,  and  its 
success  was  partly  dependent  upon  the  vigilance 
of  the  patrols  employed  to  divert  shipping  from 
dangerous  patches  of  sea. 

When  a  mine-field  was  discovered  which  inter- 
fered with  the  free  movement  of  a  large  number  of 
ships  a  big  concentration  of  sweepers  from  all  the 
adjacent  bases  was  ordered  by  telegraph  and  wire- 
less. The  area  was  isolated  by  patrols  and  the 
mines  swept  up.  In  one  field  no  less  than  300-400 
mines  were  known  to  have  been  laid.  Finally  a 
further  exploratory  sweep  was  made,  and  if  nothing 
further  was  discovered  the  area  was  again  opened 
to  traffic,  and  the  sweepers  turned  their  attention 
either  to  routine  duties  or  to  the  clearance  of 
another  field. 

The  entrance  to  every  important  harbour  was 
swept  once  or  twice  a  day,  and  all  convoys  had 
sweepers  ahead  of  them  when  they  left  or  entered 
such  confined  waters.  The  seas  adjacent  to 
harbours  and  naval  bases  were  searched  at  low 
water  for  mines  which  might  be  showing  above  the 
surface.  Around  the  anchorage  of  the  Grand  Fleet 
in  Scapa  Flow  a  wide  belt  of  sea  was  kept  clear  of 
mines  so  that  at  any  moment  the  fleet  could 
reach  blue  water  without  risk  from  these  weapons. 

159 


The  Mysteries  of 

The  same  precautions  were  taken  off  the  Firth 
of  Forth  for  the  benefit  of  the  battle  cruisers, 
and  outside  Harwich  for  Admiral  Tyrwhitt's  light 
forces. 

A  passage  known  as  the  "  war  channel  " — 
about  which  more  will  be  said  later — extending 
from  the  Downs  to  Newcastle,  was  swept  daily 
by  relays  of  sweepers  operating  from  the  anti- 
submarine bases  along  this  320  miles  of  coast-line. 
This  buoyed  and  guarded  channel  formed  a  line  of 
supply  for  the  great  fleets  in  the  north. 

Each  big  fighting  formation  was  provided  with 
a  special  flotilla  of  fast  fleet  sweepers,  which  were 
capable  of  clearing  the  seas  ahead  of  the  battle- 
ships and  cruisers  moving  at  20  knots.  This  was 
a  separate  organisation  to  what  may  be  described 
as  the  routine  sweeping  of  the  trade  routes.  These 
vessels  were  always  within  call  of  the  fleets  they 
served. 

It  has  been  estimated  that  over  1000  square 
miles  of  sea  were  swept  daily  by  the  anti-mine 
fleets  of  the  British  navy  during  the  four  years  of 
war.  This  may  not  sound  a  very  stupendous 
figure  compared  with  the  area  of  the  danger  zone, 
but  in  practice  it  necessitated  terribly  hard  work 
from  dawn  to  dusk  by  several  thousand  ships  and 
many  thousands  of  men  in  summer  heat  and  winter 
snow. 

There  was  in  addition  to  all  this  the  clearing  of 
British  mine-fields  no  longer  required  in  the  posi- 
tions in  which  they  had  been  originally  laid.  This 
was  not  entirely  an  after-the-war  problem,  for 

160 


Minesweeping  Explained 

although  the  great  mine  barriers  were  left  until 
peace  was  assured,  there  were  fields  of  minor  im- 
portance which  had  to  be  cleared  to  meet  new 
situations  as  the  years  of  war  passed  swiftly  by. 
A  notable  instance  of  this  was  the  destruction  of  a 
big  field  of  some  400  mines  off  the  Moray  Firth. 

The  foregoing  refers  only  to  the  minesweeping 
in  the  principal  danger  zones  in  British  waters,  no 
account  being  taken  of  the  work  carried  out  by 
Allied  vessels  in  the  Mediterranean,  off  the  coasts 
of  France,  Italy,  Greece,  Gallipoli,  and  in  such 
distant  seas  as  those  washing  the  shores  of  New 
Zealand,  Australia,  Hong-Kong,  Japan,  Singapore, 
Bombay,  Aden,  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  the  United 
States,  Eastern  Canada,  West  Africa  and  Arctic 
Russia,  in  all  of  which  mines  were  laid  by  surface 
raiders  like  the  Wolfe,  and  afterwards  located  and 
cleared  by  Allied  warships. 

From  the  foregoing  some  idea  of  the  gigantic 
nature  of  the  task  will  be  obtained,  and  we  can  pass 
on  to  a  more  detailed  account  of  the  actual  work. 
Minesweeping  may  be  divided  into  eight  well- 
defined  sections,  as  follows  : — 

(1)  Fleet    Sweeping. — Keeping    clear    the    sea 

routes  of  the  battle  fleet. 

(2)  Exploratory   Sweeping. — Searching    the   sea 

for  isolated  groups  or  fields. 

(3)  Routine    Sweeping. — The    daily    or    weekly 

sweeping  of  areas,   channels  and  coastal 
trade  routes,  largely  used  by  shipping. 

(4)  Clearing  Large  Mine-fields. — Big  concentra- 

tions of  ships  to  rapidly  clear  important 
J.  161 


The  Mysteries  of 

routes  temporarily  blocked  by  large  mine- 
fields. 

(5)  Special  Shallow-Water  Sweeping. — Such  as 

that  carried  out  off  the  Belgian  coast 
by  specially  constructed  shallow-draught 
ships,  frequently  with  single-ship  sweeps. 

(6)  Convoy  Sweeping. — Precautionary  sweeping 

in  front  of  incoming  and  outgoing  convoys. 
This  was  regularly  done  even  if  the  fair-way 
was  covered  by  routine  sweeping. 

(7)  Harbour    Sweeping. — Precautionary    sweep- 

ing usually  carried  out  by  small  craft  at 
big  naval  bases  such  as  Portsmouth  (Spit- 
head)  and  Rosyth  (Firth  of  Forth)  inside 
the  submerged  defences. 

(8)  Searching  at  Low  Tide. — This  was  done  by 

shallow -draught  vessels  of  the  M.L.  type 
in  order  to  locate  badly  laid  mines  which 
might  project  above  the  surface  at  low 
water.  Several  hundred  were  discovered 
in  this  way. 

In  order  to  carry  out  these  duties  efficiently  the 
heterogeneous  fleet  of  minesweepers  was  divided 
into  small  fleets  stationed  at  the  numerous  anti- 
submarine bases,  and  these  were  again  subdivided 
into  units  of  ships  especially  adapted  for  the  differ- 
ent classes  of  work.  Each  pair  of  vessels  had  to 
be  more  or  less  alike  in  size,  draught,  speed  and 
manoeuvring  ability  to  enable  them  to  work 
efficiently  in  dual  harness.  Consequently  there  were 
complete  units  of  vessels  specially  constructed  for 
dealing  rapidly  with  discovered  mine-fields  and  for 

162 


Minesweeping  Explained 

use  with  the  battle  fleets.  Shallow-draught  vessels 
of  the  motor  launch  type  for  work  in  the  shallow 
water  off  the  Belgian  coast.  Converted  pleasure 
steamers  of  the  usual  Thames,  Mersey  and  Clyde 
type  for  convoy  sweeping.  Motor  launches  for 
clearing  fair-ways  and  for  searching  at  low  water. 
Flotillas  of  trawlers  and  drifters  for  the  hard  and 
monotonous  routine  sweeping  on  the  important 
coastal  trade  routes.  They  comprised  in  all  several 
thousand  ships  engaged  solely  on  this  work. 

At  each  important  base  there  was  a  Port  Mine- 
sweeping  Officer  (P.M.S.O.),  with  one  or  more  assist- 
ants, whose  duty  it  was  to  administer,  under  the 
command  of  the  S.N.O.,  the  fleets  in  the  attached 
area,  and  to  furnish  preliminary  telegraphic  and 
detailed  reports  to  the  Minesweeping  Staff  at  the 
Admiralty,  who  issued  a  confidential  bi-monthly 
publication  to  all  commanding  officers  which  was 
a  veritable  encyclopaedia  of  valuable  information 
regarding  current  operations,  events  and  enemy 
tactics.  Attached  to  this  department  was  a  sec- 
tion of  the  Naval  School  of  Submarine  Mining, 
Portsmouth,  where  all  knotty  problems  were  un- 
ravelled and  appliances  devised  to  meet  all  kinds 
of  emergencies. 

Each  unit  of  ships  was  under  the  command  of 
a  senior  officer,  responsible  for  the  operations  of 
these  vessels,  and  where  big  fleets  were  engaged  a 
special  minesweeping  officer  was  placed  in  supreme 
command.  Only  by  close  co-ordination  of  effort 
from  the  staff  at  Whitehall  and  elsewhere  to 
the  units  at  sea  could  this  gigantic  work  have 


The  Mysteries  of 

been  expeditiously  accomplished.  It  frequently 
happened  that  any  delay  due  to  very  severe 
weather  in  clearing  a  field  or  area  meant  complete 
stoppage  or  chaotic  dislocation  of  the  almost  con- 
tinuous stream  of  merchant  shipping  entering  and 
leaving  a  big  harbour,  which,  in  turn,  disorganised 
the  adjacent  harbours  to  which  ships  had  often  to 
be  diverted.  It  disturbed  the  railway  facilities  for 
the  rapid  transport  of  the  food  or  raw  materials 
from  the  coast  to  the  manufacturing  centres,  from 
the  sugar  on  the  breakfast-table  to  the  shells  for 
the  batteries  in  France.  One  hour's  delay  in  un- 
loading a  ship  may  mean  three  hours'  additional 
delay  on  the  railways,  the  loss  of  a  shift  at  a  muni- 
tion works  and  a  day's  delay  in  a  great  offensive. 
It  is  a  curious  anomaly,  made  vividly  apparent  to 
those  in  administrative  command  during  the  past 
years  of  stress,  that  the  more  perfect  the  organisa- 
tion the  greater  the  delay  in  the  event  of  a  break- 
down in  the  system. 

There  were  various  methods  of  minesweeping, 
but  in  all  of  them  the  object  was  to  cut  the  mooring 
wire  of  any  mine  that  came  within  the  area  of  the 
sweep  and  so  cause  the  mine  itself  to  bob  up  to  the 
surface,  where  it  could  be  seen  and  destroyed  by 
gun-fire.  In  order  to  encompass  this  many  kinds 
of  minesweeping  gear  were  devised  and  given 
practical  trial  during  the  war.  The  one  most 
generally  used,  however,  was  the  original  but 
vastly  improved  sweep.  This  consisted  of  a  special 
wire  extended  between  two  ships  and  held  sub- 
merged by  a  devite  known  as  a  kite.  This 

164 


Minesweeping  Explained 

apparatus    is    best    described    diagrammatically 

(Fig.  25). 

There  was,  however,  another  type  of  sweep  used 
for  exploratory  work  and  also  for  sweeping  in 
shallow  water.  It  was  a  one-ship  sweep  (i.e.  re- 
quired only  one  vessel  to  drag  it),  and  this  can 
also  be  best  described  by  a  diagram  (Fig.  26). 

It  will  be  observed  that  in  all  cases  the  object  is 
to  drag  a  submerged  wire  through  the  water  at  an 
angle  from  the  ship's  course  until  it  encounters  the 


FIG.  25. — Diagram  showing  the  form  of  apparatus  principally  used 
by  British  minesweepers.  A  A.  Sweeping  vessels.  BB. 
Sweep- wire.  CC.  Wires  holding  kites.  DD.  Kites  which 
hold  sweep-wire  at  correct  depth  below  the  surface  by  their 
"  kite-like "  action  when  being  towed  through  the  water. 
E.  Mine  and  mooring.  F.  Surface  of  the  sea.  G.  Sea-bed. 

mooring  wire  of  a  mine.  When  this  takes  place  it  is 
the  purpose  of  the  sweep-wire  to  cut  the  mooring 
wire  and  allow  the  buoyant  mine  to  float  up  to  the 
surface  free  of  its  sinker  (see  Fig.  27).  In  order  to 
effect  this  various  kinds  of  hard  wire  with  a  cutting 
capacity  were  used  as  sweep-wires,  and  also  numer- 
ous mechanical  devices,  all  of  which  are  more  or 
less  of  a  secret  character ;  but  the  object  remained 
the  same — to  find  and  cut  the  mooring  wire. 

165 


The  Mysteries  of 

The  introduction  of  what  became  known  as 
"  delayed  action  mines  " — weapons  held  down  on 
the  sea-bed,  after  being  launched,  for  varying 


FIG.  26. — Diagrammatic  sketch  showing  principal  parts  of  a  single  - 
ship  sweep.  A.  Towing  vessel.  B.  Tail  wire.  C.  Kite  hold- 
ing sweep- wires  D  at  correct  depth  below  the  surface.  D.  Light 
sweep-wires  held  at  an  angle  by  spars  E  and  surface  hydro- 
plane floats  F.  The  dotted  lines  show  how  either  arm  of  the 
sweep  swing  towards  the  centre  line  when  exposed  to  the  pull 
of  a  mine.  This  movement  of  the  hydroplane  floats  indicates 
to  those  on  board  the  sweeping  vessel  that  a  mine  has  been 
caught.  The  mine  H  slides  down  the  sweep- wire  until  the 
mooring  is  cut  at  G,  and  the  mine  floats  freely  to  the  surface. 

periods  of  time,  so  that  sweeping  operations  might 
take  place  above  them  without  their  being  dis- 
covered ;  then,  when  the  time  for  which  the  delay 
was  set  had  expired,  they  rose  to  within  ten  feet  of 

166 


Minesweeping  Explained 

the  surface  and  became  a  great  danger  to  ship- 
ping in  places  recently  swept  and  reported  clear — 
caused  a  new  form  of  sweep  to  be  devised  and  used 
in  waters  where  these  mines  were  likely  to  be  sown. 
This  type  of  sweep  was  known  as  a  "  bottom 
sweep/'  and  generally  consisted  of  a  chain  fitted 
into  the  bight  of  a  sweep-wire  and  dragged  along 
the  sea-bed,  the  idea  being  to  overturn  the  delayed 


-  c 


FIG.  27. — -Diagram  showing  mine  mooring  being  cut  by  sweep- 
wire.  A.  Mine-mooring  wire.  B.  Hard  and  cutting  face  of 
sweep- wire.  The  dotted  lines  C  show  how  the  mine  floats  to  the 
surface  by  its  own  buoyancy  when  the  mooring  wire  holding  it 
down  has  been  cut. 

mine  and  so  upset  its  mechanism  that  it  would 
either  rise  immediately  to  the  surface  or  else  remain 
for  ever  harmless  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea.  In 
many  cases  the  heavy  chain  passing  over  the  horns 
of  the  mine  would  bend  and  make  them  useless,  so 
destroying  the  efficiency  of  the  mine  even  if  it  did 
eventually  rise  to  the  correct  firing  depth. 

Into  almost  every  operation  carried  out  on  or 
under  the  sea  there  enters  the  tide  difficulty,  and 
in  all  mining  and  minesweeping  operations  it  is 
one  of  the  most  important  factors  to  be  considered. 
The  effect  of  the  tide  on  mine -laying  has  been  dealt 


The  Mysteries  of 

with  in  a  previous  chapter,  and  the  same  difficulties 
in  reverse  order  are  experienced  when  sweeping  the 
sea  for  these  invisible  and  dangerous  weapons. 
It  has  already  been  shown  that  a  vessel  may  some- 
times pass  safely  over  a  mine  at  high  water  which 
would  touch  her  sides  or  keel  and  explode  if  she 
passed  over  it  at  low  water  when  the  mine  was 
nearer  to  the  surface.  All  minesweeping  vessels, 
therefore,  need  to  be  of  comparatively  shallow 
draught  in  order  to  reduce  the  risk  of  touching 
mines,  but  against  this  is  the  fact  that  shallow- 
draught  ships,  even  if  powerfully  engined,  have  but 
little  grip  on  the  water  and  experience  an  undue 
loss  of  speed  when  towing  a  heavy  sweep-wire. 
Such  vessels  can  seldom  operate  in  even  moder- 
ately heavy  weather  owing  to  their  rolling  and 
pitching  propensities.  Therefore  a  vessel  of 
medium — bordering  on  shallow — draught,  with  a 
fairly  broad  beam,  is  the  best  type.  Here,  again, 
is  a  difficulty.  Minesweeping  is  a  type  of  defensive 
warfare  requiring  a  vast  number  of  ships  success- 
fully to  carry  on  against  an  enemy  well  provided 
with  surface  and  submarine  mine-layers,  and  not 
even  the  greatest  naval  power  in  the  world  could 
seriously  contemplate  maintaining  a  peace  fleet 
of,  say,  2000  such  vessels  in  constant  readiness. 
Therefore  recourse  has  to  be  made,  when  war 
comes,  to  mercantile  craft,  which  seldom  possess 
all  the  desired  qualities. 

This  is  what  actually  occurred  in  every  maritime 
country  at  war  during  the  years  succeeding  August, 
1914,  and  in  order  to  meet  the  danger  attending 

168 


Minesweeping  Explained 

the  use  of  passenger  ships,  trawlers  and  drifters, 
often  with  a  considerable  draught,  mines  weeping 
operations  were,  whenever  possible,  confined  to 
the  three  hours  before  and  the  three  hours  after 
high  water.  Shallow-draught  M.L.'s  carried  out 
the  scouting  for  mines  at  low  tide.  It  is  difficult 
to  see  what  would  be  the  fate  of  a  nation  hemmed 
in  by  mines  and  devoid  of  a  mercantile  fleet  suffi- 
ciently numerous  to  provide  powerful  sweeping 
units.  The  trawlers  and  pleasure  steamers  were 
a  godsend  to  England  in  those  years  of  intensive 
submarine  warfare.  This  undeniable  fact  inci- 
dentally provides  another  example — if  such  is  now 
needed — of  naval  power  resting  not  entirely  on 
fleets  and  dockyards,  but  on  every  branch  and 
twig  of  maritime  activity. 

It  is  difficult  to  describe  in  small  compass  and 
non-technical  language  the  various  tactical  forma- 
tions employed  in  minesweeping  operations.  They 
were  many  and  various.  The  Germans  used  their 
vessels  in  long  lines,  the  ships  being  connected 
together  by  a  light  wire -sweep  plentifully  supplied 
with  cutting  devices,  into  which  the  mooring  wire 
of  the  mine  was  expected  to  obligingly  slip.  This 
method  suffered  from  the  serious  drawback  that  if 
any  part  of  the  sweep- wire  caught  on  a  submerged 
obstacle,  such  as  a  projection  of  rock,  the  whole 
line  of  ships  became  disorganised.  There  were  also 
many  other  objections  to  this  system,  some  of 
which  will  doubtless  be  apparent  to  the  thoughtful 
reader. 

The  formation  usually  adopted  by  British  mine- 

169 


The  Mysteries  of 

sweepers  was  that  shown  in  Fig.  28,  in  which  it  will 
be  observed  that  each  pair  of  ships  is  actually  inde- 
pendent of  the  others,  but  is  acting  in  company 
with  them,  and  that  the  pathway  swept  by  one 


FIG.  28. — Plan  showing  the  usual  formation  adopted  by  British  mine- 
sweeping  vessels.  A.  Three  pairs  of  sweepers.  B.  Sweep-wires. 
C.  A  mine  entering  the  sweep  of  the  second  pair.  D.  A  vessel 
following  the  sweepers  for  the  purpose  of  sinking  by  gun-fire  the 
mines  cut  up. 

pair  is  slightly  overlapped  by  the  following  pair. 
In  the  event  of  an  accident  to  one  ship  the  next 
astern  can  immediately  let  go  its  own  end  of  sweep- 
wire  and  go  to  the  rescue  of  any  survivors.  It 
may  be  apropos  to  say  here  that  the  smaller  class 
of  minesweeper  is  usually  blown  to  pieces  if  she 
touches  a  mine. 

The  set  of  the  tide  is  another  important  factor 
which  has  to  be  taken  into  serious  consideration 
when  plotting  a  sweep.  This  complication  enters 

170 


Minesweeping  Explained 

into  every  operation,  and  its  salienlt  points  will  be 
made  quite  clear  by  referring  to  Fig.  29. 

The  actual  speed  at  which  minesweeping  opera- 
tions are  carried  out  depends  greatly  upon  the 
engine-power  of  the  sweepers  themselves.  In  the 
case  ;of  trawlers  and  drifters  it  is  seldom  possible  to 


n  tuu»»^ 

jj*-_  — --  —  —   — —  — —  —  —  — — 

~— •    — . .   _  r* 


FIG.  29. — Diagram  illustrating  the  effect  of  tide  on  minesweeping 
operations.  A.  The  vessels  sweeping  along  the  coast-line  B. 
A  fast  ebb-tide  is  coming  down  the  estuary  C.  Unless  an  allow- 
ance was  made  for  this  tide  and  mark-buoys  or  ships  were 
placed  along  the  dotted  course  D,  the  sweepers  would  un- 
knowingly drift  seawards  along  course  E,  leaving  a  space  F  un- 
swept  and  possibly  dangerous  to  ships  entering  and  leaving 
the  estuary  C. 

drag  the  300-600  feet  of  heavy  wire  through  the 
water  at  a  greater  rate  than  4  to  6  knots.  M.L.'s 
can  accomplish  8  knots  with  a  lighter  wire,  while 
big  fleet  sweepers  with  engines  of  several  thousand 
horse-power  can  clear  the  seas  at  18-23  knots. 

Sufficient  has  now  been  said  to  enable  the  reader 
to  realise  fully  the  arduous/exciting  and  often  very 
hazardous  nature  of  the  work.  Veteran  sweepers 
listen  for  the  loud  hum  of  the  wire  which  proclaims 

171 


The  Mysteries  of 

that  a  mine  has  been  caught.  Then  comes  an 
interval  of  a  few  seconds  of  suspense.  Sometimes 
the  mine  bobs  up  within  a  few  feet  of  the  ship  ;  at 
other  times  it  is  in  the  middle  or  bight  of  the  wire, 
far  astern,  and  half-way  between  the  two  sweeping 
vessels.  When  a  mine  is  cut  up  a  few  shots  from 
a  3-pounder,  a  shattering  roar  and  the  mine  is 
destroyed.  All  that  remains  is  a  column  of  smoke 
reaching  from  sea  to  sky. 

It  frequently  happened  that  the  mine  became 
entangled  in  the  sweeping  gear  and  was  unknow- 
ingly hauled  on  board  with  the  sweep.  When  this 
occurred  the  position  was  fraught  with  extreme 
peril.  Any  roll  of  the  ship  might  cause  an  ex- 
plosion which  would  shatter  to  fragments  every- 
thing and  everyone  within  range.  Safety  lay  in 
lowering  the  sweep  gently  back  into  the  sea — an 
extremely  difficult  operation  on  a  rough  day. 

THE  WAR  CHANNEL 

This  carefully  guarded  fair-way  consisted  of  a 
320-mile  stretch  of  sea,  extending  along  the  east 
coast  of  England  from  the  Downs  to  Newcastle, 
which  was  marked  on  the  seaward  side  by  a  con- 
tinuous line  of  gigantic  buoys,  two  miles  apart. 
It  was  patrolled  day  and  night  by  hundreds  of 
small  warships,  and  swept  from  end  to  end  by 
relays  of  sweepers  acting  in  conjunction  with  each 
other  from  the  different  anti-submarine  bases 
along  the  coast. 

The  war  channel  formed  a  comparatively  safe 

172 


Minesweeping  Explained 

highway  for  all  coastal  shipping  passing  north  or 
south  through  the  danger  zone,  and  vessels  from 
Holland,  Denmark,  Norway  and  Sweden  were  able 
to  cross  the  North  Sea  at  any  point  under  escort 
and  proceed  independently  and  safely  along  the 
British  coast  to  whichever  port  could  most  con- 
veniently accommodate  them  at  the  time  of  their 
arrival.  It  alsp  relieved  the  terrible  congestion 
on  the  railway  lines  between  the  north  and  south 
of  England  by  enabling  a  coast-wise  traffic  to  be 
carried  on  between  the  ports  of  Londor,  Grimsby, 
Hull  and  Newcastle,  as  well  as  enabling  the  numer- 
ous Iceland  fishing  fleet  to  pass  up  and  down  the 
coast  in  comparative  safety  on  their  frequent 
voyages  to  and  from  the  fishing  grounds  of  the 
far  north.  From  the  naval  or  strategic  point  of 
view  it  more  or  less  secured  a  line  of  supply  for  the 
Grand  Fleet  assembled  in  the  misty  north.  Colliers, 
oilers,  ammunition  and  food  ships  were  able  to  pro- 
ceed through  the  comparatively  narrow  section  of 
the  danger  zone  with  a  minimum  of  risk  ;  and,  had 
it  been  required,  there  was  available  a  cleared 
passage  for  any  squadron  from  the  big  fighting 
formations  to  come  south  at  high  speed  to  check- 
mate a  bombardment  or  attempted  landing  on 
anything  like  a  grand  scale. 

It  may  perhaps  be  wondered  why  this  channel 
was  not  extended  up  the  east  coast  of  Scotland  as 
far  as  Scapa  Flow.  In  the  first  place,  the  North 
Sea  widens  considerably  as  the  higher  latitudes  are 
approached,  the  coast  of  Scotland  does  not  lend 
itself  to  a  clearly  defined  channel  and  the  heavy 

173 


The  Mysteries  of 

weather  which  prevails  for  so  many  months  in  the 
year  made  the  maintenance  of  gigantic  buoys  and 
their  moorings  almost  impossible.  Secondly,  there 
were  various  systems  of  mine  defences  in  this  area, 
and,  although  not  defined  by  a  chain  of  buoys,  the 
passage  north  from  Newcastle  to  the  Scottish 
islands  was,  in  actual  fact,  maintained  by  a  vast 
organisation  of  patrols  and  sweepers,  but  over  this 
section  of  sea  supply  ships  for  the  Grand  Fleet 
were  nearly  always  under  escort.  The  area  from 
the  Scotch  to  the  German  coast  was  looked  upon 
more  as  a  possible  battle-ground  for  the  fleets  at 
war  than  as  a  route  for  merchant  shipping,  owing 
to  the  comparatively  few  big  commercial  harbours 
along  the  eastern  shore. 

Laying  the  moorings  of  over  150  gigantic  buoys 
in  fairly  deep  water,  exceptionally  prone  to  sudden 
and  violent  storms,  was  in  itself  a  noteworthy  feat 
of  submarine  engineering.  The  chains  and  anchors 
had  to  be  of  great  strength,  and  the  whole  work, 
which  occupied  many  weeks,  was  carried  out  in 
waters  infested  with  submarines  and  mines. 

The  task  of  sweeping  this  vast  stretch  of  sea 
almost  continuously  for  four  years  was  by  no 
means  either  straightforward  or  without  risk.  The 
Germans,  when  they  discovered  the  existence  and 
purpose  of  this  channel,  sought  to  turn  it  to  their 
own  advantage  by  systematically  laying  mines 
around  the  moorings  of  the  mark-buoys,  where 
they  could  only  be  swept  up  with  great  difficulty, 
owing  to  the  sweep-wires  fouling  the  moorings  of 
the  buoys.  This  strategem  had  to  be  answered  by 

174 


Minesweeping  Explained 

the  creation  of  "  switch  lines/'  or  small  sections  of 
false  channel  marked  by  buoys,  while  the  real 
channel  was  only  outlined  on  secret  charts.  In 
this  way  the  preservation  of  the  war  channel  and 
its  use  for  misleading  and  entrapping  U  and  U-C 
boats  became  a  semi-independent  campaign,  in  the 
same  way  as  that  which  surrounded  the  great  mine 
barrages  and  other  activities  of  the  anti-submarine 
service. 

MINE  PROTECTION  DEVICES 

It  is  an  axiom  of  war  that  new  weapons  of  attack 
are  invariably  met  by  new  methods  of  defence. 
The  mine  was  no  exception  to  this  rule,  although 
up  to  the  present  time  the  various  antidotes  are  in 
all  cases  only  partial  remedies.  During  the  years 
of  war,  with  the  brains  of  a  maritime  nation 
focused  on  the  subject,  there  were  naturally  many 
devices  suggested  and  tried  for  protecting  ships 
from  mines.  The  great  majority  of  these  sugges- 
tions may  be  classified  in  two  groups  :  (i)  Those 
which  sought  to  deflect  the  mine  from  the  pathway 
of  the  ship  ;  and  (2)  those  which  sought  to  mini- 
mise the  result  of  the  explosion.  One  method 
from  each  of  these  groups  was  adopted  with  various 
modifications  to  suit  different  classes  of  ships. 

In  the  first  group  came  the  Paravane,  which  had 
as  its  basis  the  suspension  of  a  submerged  wire 
around  the  bow  of  a  ship,  which  caught  and  de- 
flected the  mine-mooring  wire  before  the  horns  of 
the  mine  itself  could  reach  the  sides  of  the  ship. 

175 


The  Mysteries  of 

It  also  cut  the  mooring  and  enabled  the  mine  to 
rise  to  the  surface  and  be  destroyed  by  gun-fire. 

In  order  to  understand  this  appliance  it  is  first 
necessary  to  know  what  is  the  action  of  the  majority 
of  moored  mines  on  coming  in  contact  with  a  ship. 
It  seldom  happens  that  a  vessel  strikes  a  mine  dead 
on  the  bow  or  stem-post.  The  cushion  and  dis- 
location of  water  formed  by  a  big  and  fast  ship 
around  its  bows  is  usually  sufficient  to  cause  the 
mine  to  swing  a  few  inches  away  from  the  bow  and 
to  return  and  strike  the  ship  several  feet  back  on 
the  port  or  starboard  side.  A  careful  study  of 
Fig.  30  will  show  how  this  is  prevented  by  the 
deflecting  wires  of  the  paravane. 

The  paravanes  themselves  are  submerged 
torpedo -shaped  bodies  which  hold  the  wires  under 
the  surface  and  away  from  the  ship's  side,  deriving 
their  ability  to  do  this  from  the  speed  at  which 
they  are  being  towed,  submerged,  by  the  ship 
itself.  A  piece  of  string  through  the  axle  hole  of  a 
small  wheel,  which  is  then  placed  on  the  ground 
and  pulled  along,  will  give  a  good  idea  of  the  action 
of  the  paravane  against  the  passing  water. 

It  is  not  possible  to  give  here  the  exact  details  of 
this  highly  ingenious  device  upon  which  so  much 
scientific  and  practical  attention  was  wisely  be- 
stowed, but  sufficient  has  been  said  to  enable  the 
reader  to  form  a  clear  conception  of  how  the  mine 
was  caught  and  held  away  from  the  ship's  side  by 
the  deflecting  wire  of  the  paravane. 

This  device,  in  one  of  its  man}7  forms,  was  fitted 
not  only  to  warships,  but  also  to  many  hundreds  of 
•  176 


Minesweeping  Explained 


FIG.  30. — -Plan  showing  the  chief  characteristics  of  the  paravane 
mine  defence  gear.  A .  The  bow  of  the  ship.  B.  The  paravanes 
being  towed  submerged  at  an  outward  angle.  These  appliances 
maintain  a  fixed  depth  below  the  surface  and  hold  the  ends  of 
the  deflecting  wires  C  well  away  from  the  ship's  sides.  C.  The 
submerged  deflecting  wires,  held  at  one  end  by  a  short  pro- 
jection from  the  ship's  stem-post  below  the  water-line,  and  at 
the  outer  end  by  the  submerged  paravanes.  D.  A  mine  and  its 
mooring  caught  by  the  deflecting  wires  and  held  away  from  the 
ship.  In  such  a  case  it  would  slide  down  the  deflecting  wire 
towards  the  paravane,  where  the  mooring  would  be  cut  and  the 
mine  would  float  to  the  surface. 


M 


177 


Minesweeping  Explained 

merchantmen,  and  was  known  to  have  saved 
thousands  of  tons  of  valuable  shipping  and  cargo. 

Among  those  devices  which  had  for  their  object 
the  minimising  of  the  result  of  a  mine  explosion 
may  be  mentioned  the  ''Blister  System"  so 
successfully  employed  in  the  construction  of 
monitors  and  other  big  ships,  the  idea  being  to 
surround  the  inner  hull  with  an  outer  casing  which 
received  the  effect  of  the  explosion  of  either  a  mine 
or  torpedo  and  left  the  inner  or  real  hull  of  the 
ship  water-tight.  Its  one  weak  feature  was  that 
it  reduced  the  speed  of  the  ship  and  the  ease  with 
which  she  could  be  manoeuvred.  In  future  types 
of  large  and  heavily  armed  ships  this  drawback 
will  undoubtedly  be  largely  overcome  by  an 
increase  in  engine -power  made  possible  by  the 
development  of  engineering  science. 

The  "  blister/'  although  outwardly  forming  a 
continuous  structure  round  the  entire  vessel, 
extending  well  above  and  below  the  water-line, 
tapered  off  towards  the  bows  and  stern,  and  was 
subdivided  into  different  compartments.  In  this 
way  an  explosion  against  one  section  did  not 
necessarily  damage  any  other  part.  The  British 
monitors  which  so  successfully  bombarded  the 
Belgian  coast  and  the  fortifications  of  the  Dar- 
danelles were  fitted  with  blisters,  and  more  than 
one  of  them  owed  their  salvation  to  this  means. 


CHAPTER  XIII 
THE  MINE  BARRAGE 

WHAT  undoubtedly  forms  the  most  effective 
counter  to  unrestricted  submarine  warfare  is  the 
explosive  mine  barrage,  as  employed  against  the 
German  U-boats  in  the  North  Sea  and  the  Straits 
of  Dover. 

The    practicability    of    these    barrage    systems 

depends,  however,  very  largely  upon  the  following 

factors  : — (i)  the  geographical  features  of  the  area 

of  operations  ;    (2)  the  hydrographical  peculiarities 

of  the  seas  in  which  the  mines  have  to  be  laid  ; 

(3)  the  number  of  properly  equipped  mine-laying 

vessels   available  ;     (4)   an   adequate   and  highly 

trained  personnel  ;    and  (5)  the  mechanical  skill 

I  and  manufacturing  power  of  the  nation  employing 

I  the  system. 

There  are  several  forms  of  mine  barrage.     One 

I  is  simply  an  elongated  mine -field  laid  across   a 

narrow  sea  to  prevent  the  safe  passage  of  hostile 

surface  craft.     In  this  case  the  mines  are  laid  in 

the  ordinary  manner  and  at  the  ordinary  depth 

below  the  surface.     The  anti-submarine   barrage, 

however,  consists  of  an  enormous  number  of  mines, 

!  laid  at  a  considerable  depth  below  the  surface  and  in 

I  such  formation  as  to   ensure   that   a  submarine 

!  attempting   to    pass   through   the    cordon    while 

179 


The  Mine  Barrage 

submerged  would  inevitably  collide  with  one  or 
more  of  them. 

With  this  latter  form  of  barrage  the  surface  of 
the  sea  is  quite  clear  of  mines  and  is  comparatively 
safe  for  the  unrestricted  movement  of  a  numerous 
patrol  flotilla,  which  forms  part  of  the  system,  the 
under-seas  alone  being  made  dangerous  by  the  mines. 

It  will  be  apparent  that  if  a  hostile  submarine 
base  is  enclosed  by  one  or  more  of  these  barrages 
the  under -water  craft  entering  and  leaving  that 
base  have  the  choice  of  travelling  submerged  across 
the  danger  zone  and  thereby  risking  contact  with 
the  mines,  or  of  performing  the  passage  on  the 
surface  and  encountering  the  patrolling  ships.  In 
either  case, the  result  is  more  likely  than  not  to  be 
the  destruction  of  the  submarine. 

In  most  cases  the  exact  position  of  the  barrage 
would  be  unknown  to  the  hostile  submarines, 
which,  even  if  running  on  the  surface,  would  dive 
immediately  on  the  approach  of  a  patrol  ship. 
The  few  lucky  ones  succeeding  in  getting  safely 
through  the  cordon  of  deep-laid  mines,  or  passing 
unnoticed  the  patrol  of  surface  ships  on  their  out- 
ward journey — as  might  be  the  case  in  fog — would 
have  the  same  peril  to  face  on  the  return  to  their 
base,  and  probably  without  the  aid  of  thick  weather. 
This  double  risk  would  probably  have  to  be  taken 
by  every  submarine  in  the  active  flotilla  at  least 
once  a  month,  this  being  approximately  the  period 
they  can  remain  at  sea  without  replenishing 
supplies  of  fuel,  torpedoes  and  food. 

The  object  of  the  flotillas  of  shallow -draught 

180 


The  Mine  Barrage 

patrol  vessels  operating  in  the  vicinity  of  the  deep 
mine  barrier  is  twofold.  Primarily  their  duty  is  to 
prevent  the  hostile  submarines  from  running  the 
blockade  on  the  surface  and,  secondly,  to  prevent 
enemy  surface  craft  from  emerging  from  the  base 
and  sweeping  clear  a  passage  through  the  mine- 
field, or  of  laying  counter -mines,  which,  on  being 
exploded,  would  detonate  some  of  the  blockading 
deep-laid  mines  and  so  destroy  a  section  of  the 
barrier. 

From  this  it  will  be  apparent  that  a  force  of 
hostile  submarines  hemmed  in  in  this  way  would 
run  a  double  risk  of  losing  a  number  of  vessels  on 
every  occasion  on  which  a  sortie  was  made.  This 
is  what  actually  occurred  to  the  German  under- 
water flotillas  in  the  years  1917-1919,  and,  in  com- 
bination with  the  other  methods  employed  by  the 
Allied  navies,  was  mainly  responsible  for  the  failure 
of  the  great  under -sea  offensive. 

The  only  bases  of  the  German  navy  being  situ- 
ated on  the  North  Sea  littoral,  it  was  possible  for 
the  Allies  to  lay  a  vast  mine  barrier,  stretching 
from  the  coast  of  Norway  to  the  Scottish  islands, 
and  another  smaller  one  across  the  Straits  of  Dover  ; 
also  to  concentrate  in  the  vicinity  of  these  two  sub- 
marine "  trench  systems  "  a  very  numerous  surface 
patrolling  force,  thus  enclosing  the  thousands  of 
square  miles  of  sea  forming  what  was  sometimes 
boastfully  referred  to  as  the  "  German  Ocean  "in 
an  almost  impenetrable  ring  of  steel  and  T.N.T. 

Here  let  us  consider  the  gigantic  nature  of  the 
task  that  was  successfully  accomplished.  The 

181" 


The  Mine  Barrage 

distance  from  the  Norwegian  coast  to  the  Orkney 
Islands  is  approximately  600  miles.  It  was  over 
this  vast  expanse  of  sea,  bent  at  the  eastern  end  so 
as  to  rest  on  the  Heligoland  Bight,  that  the  system 
known  as  the  "  Northern  Barrages  "  extended.  No 
exact  statistics  of  the  actual  number  of  mines  used 
is  at  present  available,  but  reckoning  at  the  low 


0 


FIG.  31. — Diagram  illustrating  a  mine  barrage,  orj  deep-laid  mine- 
field. The  submarine  A,  diving  to  avoid  a  surface  warship,  has 
become  entangled  in  the  mooring  of  a  deep-laid  mine  which  is 
being  dragged  down  on  top  of  her.  These  mines  are  often 
moored  at  a  depth  of  60  feet  below  the  surface,  which  can  then 
be  patrolled  by  surface  warships. 

rate  of  one  mine  to  every  750  feet  of  sea,  with  five 
lines  stretching  from  shore  to  shore,  the  number' 
required  would  be  21,000  of  these  costly  and  diffi- 
cult weapons.  The  number  required  annually  to 
maintain  such  a  barrage  would  also  be  very  heavy, 
and  it  is  safe  to  assume  that  considerably  over  50,000 
mines  were  employed  on  the  northern  barrages 
alone.  From  this  rough  estimate  some  idea  of  the 
work  of  designing,  manufacturing,  testing,  laying, 
renewing  and  watching  this  one  field  will  be 
obtained. 

182 


British  Official  Photograph 

THE   SURREN'DER   OF    THE   GERMAN    SUBMARINE    FLEET 
The  White  Ensign  is  hoisted  over  the  German  Eagle. 


The  Mine  Barrage 

There  were,  of  course,  in  the  actual  barrage 
several  mine-fields  placed  strategically,  and  prob- 
ably a  far  greater  number  of  weapons  than  that 
given  in  the  above  estimate  was  needed.  There 
were  also  the  smaller  fields  lying  between  the 
northern  barrage  and  the  one  across  the  Straits  of 
Dover.  These  were  so  placed  as  to  catch  hostile 
submarines  operating  off  the  east  coast  of  England, 
or  a  surface  raiding  squadron,  such  as  those  which 
in  the  earlier  years  of  the  war  bombarded  certain 
British  ports. 

Finally,  when  victory  had  been  achieved,  there 
came  the  cold-blooded  task  of  clearing  these  im- 
mense areas  of  sea,  not  only  of  German  mines,  laid 
haphazardly,  but  also  of  the  thousands  of  British 
mines  laid  methodically  and  away  from  neutral 
traffic. 

The  English  Channel  barrage  differed  from  the 
northern  line  in  several  important  respects.  Being 
so  much  shorter  (31  miles  against  680),  it  could 
more  easily  be  made  perfect.  The  swift -running 
tide,  however,  greatly  increased  the  difficulty  of 
laying  effective  mine-fields. 

THE  LIGHTED  BARRAGE 

This  southern  system  consisted,  on  the  surface, 
of  a  number  of  vessels  specially  built  to  ride  out 
the  heaviest  gale  at  anchor.  These  were  moored 
at  intervals  across  the  Straits  of  Dover,  forming 
two  lines  from  the  English  to  the  French  coast. 
The  first  line  extended  from  Folkestone  to  Cape 

183 


The  Mine  Barrage 

Gris  Nez,  and  the  second  line  about  seven  miles  to 
the  westward  of  these  points  (see  Fig.  32).  Each 
vessel  was  fitted  with  powerful  searchlights  for  use 


UlllLLl 


FIG.  32. — Diagram  illustrating  the  Dover  lighted  barrage.  This 
barrage  consisted  of  two  lines  of  lightships,  E  and  F,  from  England 
A  to  France  B.  The  first  line  extended  from  Folkestone  C 
to  Cape  Gris  Nez  D.  The  second  line  F  was  situated  seven 
miles  westwards  of  the  first  line.  The  small  top  diagram  shows 
how  the  two  pathways  of  light,  with  a  numerous  patrol  between, 
compelled  the  U-boats  to  dive  in  order  to  avoid  observation  and 
destruction  by  gun-fire.  The  lower  diagram  shows  the  deep-laid 
mines  arranged  to  receive  the  U-boats  when  they  attempted  to 
run  the  blockade  in  a  submerged  condition. 

at  night,  and  the  dark  spaces  of  sea  between  were 
patrolled  by  large  numbers  of  armed  craft. 

By  this  means  the  only  avenues  by  which  hostile 
submarines  could  hope  to  pass  on  the  surface 
through  the  barrage  at  night  were  the  dark  lanes 
of  water  between  the  lightships.  It  was  these 

184 


The  Mine  Barrage 

points  which  were  closely  guarded  by  strong  patrol 
flotillas,  whose  duty  it  was  to  attack  submarines 
attempting  to  get  through  and,  with  the  aid  of 
guns  and  depth  charges,  to  force  them  to  dive 
below  the  surface. 

Here  certain  destruction  awaited  them  on  the 
submerged  mine-fields.  If,  however,  one  line  of 
defence  was  safely  passed  by  a  hostile  submarine, 
there  was  another  to  be  negotiated  seven  miles 
farther  on,  and  once  a  submarine  got  bteween  the 
two  lines  her  chances  of  escape  were  indeed  small, 
for  whichever  way  she  turned  the  surface  would  be 
covered  with  fast  patrol  craft  and  at  night  lighted 
by  the  rays  of  many  searchlights,  while  the  under- 
seas  were  almost  impassable  with  mines. 

If,  however,  notwithstanding  these  defensive 
systems,  a  submarine  succeeded  in  passing  through 
and  getting  to  work  on  the  lines  of  communication 
with  the  armies  in  France,  there  were  hydrophone 
organisations  and  patrols  all  down  the  Channel 
from  the  lighted  barrage  to  the  Scilly  Islands.  By 
this  means  a  U-boat  would  be  seldom  out  of  the 
hearing  of  these  instruments  for  more  than  an  hour 
or  so  at  a  time. 

The  success  which  attended  the  perfecting  of  this 
vast  system  was  such  that  German  submarines 
based  on  the  Flanders  coast  gave  up  attempting 
to  pass  down  the  English  Channel.  They  tried  to 
go  to  and  from  their  hunting  grounds  on  the 
Atlantic  trade  routes  round  the  north  coast  of 
Scotland.  Here  the  great  northern  systems  took 
their  toll. 

185 


The  Mine  Barrage 

During  the  first  nine  months  of  the  year  1918 
the  German  submarine  flotillas  at  Zeebrugge  and 
Ostend  lost  thirty  vessels,  and  no  less  than  fifteen 
of  these  had,  at  the  time  of  the  signing  of  the 
Armistice,  been  discovered  lying  wrecked  under 
the  lighted  barrage. 


186 


CHAPTER  XIV 
OFF  TO  THE  ZONES  OF  WAR 

HITHERTO  I  have  dealt  with  the  scientific  training 
of  the  personnel,  the  armament  and  the  general 
organisation  of  the  anti-submarine  fleets,  leaving 
it  to  the  imagination  of  readers  to  invest  the  bare 
recital  of  facts  with  the  due  amount  of  romance. 
If,  however,  a  true  understanding  of  this  most 
modern  form  of  naval  war  is  to  be  obtained,  the 
human  aspect  must  loom  large  in  future  pages. 

War,  whether  it  be  on  the  sea,  under  the  sea,  on 
the  land  or  in  the  air,  is  a  science  in  which  the 
human  element  is  of  at  least  equal  importance 
with  that  of  the  purely  mechanical.  It  is  a  science 
of  both  "  blood  and  iron/' 

The  armed  motor  launches  described  in  earlier 
pages,  after  being  built  in  Canada  to  the  number 
of  over  500,  and  engined  by  the  United  States, 
were  transported  across  the  Atlantic  on  the 
decks  of  big  ocean-going  steamships — more  than 
one  of  which  was  torpedoed  on  the  voyage.  On 
their  arrival  in  Portsmouth  dockyard  the  guns  and 
depth  charges  were  placed  aboard  and  the  vessels 
thoroughly  equipped  and  fitted  out  for  active 
service. 

Officers  and  men  were  drafted  from  the  training 
establishments  of  the  new  navy  at  Southampton, 


Off  to  the  Zones  of  War 

Portsmouth,  Chatham,  Greenwich  and  elsewhere. 
Each  little  vessel  was  given  a  number,  and  within 
a  few  weeks  of  their  arrival  from  the  building  yards 
on  the  St  Lawrence  they  sailed  in  flotillas  out  past 
the  fortifications  of  Spithead,  en  route  for  their 
respective  war  bases. 

Great  secrecy  had  surrounded  the  construction 
of  these  small  but  powerful  craft,  and  but  few  naval 
men,  except  those  directly  engaged  in  the  anti-sub- 
marine service,  had  either  seen  or  heard  much  of 
them  until  they  commenced  arriving  at  the 
different  rendezvous. 

Among  the  early  flotillas  to  leave  Portsmouth 
dockyard  was  one  of  four  ships  destined  for  a  base 
on  the  east  coast  of  Scotland,,  and  as  these  speedy 
little  craft  raced  away  north  the  expectations  of 
both  officers  and  men  ran  high. 

It  was  in  the  early  summer  of  1916,  and  although 
the  air  was  crisp,  the  sea  sparkled  in  the  bright 
sunlight  and  the  sky  was  a  cloudless  blue.  Only  a 
heavy-beam  sea  off  Flamborough  Head  had  marred 
the  maiden  voyage,  and  they  were  now  on  the  last 
hundred  miles,  with  the  low-lying  Fame  Islands 
fading  into  the  mist  astern.  By  nightfall,  if  the 
wind  remained  light,  they  would  make  the  Scottish 
port  which  was  to  form  their  base  of  operations. 

Hitherto  these  four  brand-new  little  warships, 
all  white  wood,  grey  paint  and  polished  metal,  had 
been  plodding  over  the  600  miles  of  sea  from  Ports- 
mouth at  what  was  termed  "  cruising  speed  "  —  a 
mere  10  knots.  The  engines  had  not  been  opened 
out  to  "  full  ahead  "  because  these  delicate  pieces 

188 


Off  to  the  Zones  of  War 

of  mechanism  needed  time  to  settle  down  to  their 
work  before  it  was  safe  to  drive  them  to  the  utmost 
limit  of  speed  and  power,  but  now  that  pistons  and 
bearings  had  been  given  time  to  "  run  in  "  it  was 
considered  safe  for  the  flotilla  to  increase  speed  in 
order  to  make  harbour  by  nightfall. 

A  hoist  of  new,  bright -coloured  flags  fluttered 
from  the  squat  mast  of  the  leading  ship.  The 
steady  throbbing  of  the  engines  grew  suddenly  to  a 
low  staccato  roar.  The  white  waves  astern  rose  up 
almost  level  with  the  counters  and  clouds  of  fine 
spray  blew  across  the  decks.  This  rapid  move- 
ment through  the  sun-lit  water,  with  the  breeze  of 
passage  and  the  tang  of  the  salt  sea  in  every 
breath,  was  exhilarating,  and  the  spirits  of  those 
aboard  rose  with  the  speed. 

Running  at  nearly  half-a-mile  a  minute,  the 
flotilla  forged  northwards  through  clouds  of  fine, 
stinging  spray,  until  at  a  late  hour,  wrhen  the  sun 
was  dipping  below  the  horizon  and  the  sea  was  a 
sheet  of  golden  light,  a  smoky  line  appeared  far 
away  to  the  westward.  It  was  that  section  of  the 
Scottish  coast  which  in  future  it  would  be  the  duty 
of  these  boats  to  patrol,  and  as  the  distance 
lessened  those  on  board  gazed  in  silence  at  the 
gigantic  cliffs  and  black  rocks,  now  tinged  with  the 
rays  of  the  dying  sun  and  encircled  by  the  endless 
ripples  which  alone  broke  the  peaceful  surface  of 
the  sea,  but  one  and  all  were  picturing  this  for- 
bidding coast  on  the  stormy  winter  nights  to  come. 

Slowly  the  light  faded  from  the  western  sky. 
The  cliffs  rose  up  black  and  sombre,  and  when  the 

189 


Off  to  the  Zones  of  War 

little  flotilla  turned  westwards  up  the  broad  water- 
way leading  to  the  base  darkness  had  closed  over 
land  and  sea.  For  some  time  they  picked  their 
way  up  this  sheltered  loch.  No  lights  were  visible, 
but  more  than  once  a  destroyer  appeared  out  of  the 
blackness  to  make  sure  of  their  identity,  and  each 
time  they  were  inspected  very  closely  before  the 
guard-ships  were  satisfied.  An  armed  trawler 
guided  them  past  dangerous  obstructions  and  then 
faded  into  the  night.  Mile  after  mile  of  water  was 
then  traversed  on  courses  laid  down  in  confidential 
orders. 

Suddenly  a  searchlight  flashed  out  from  close 
ahead,  followed  almost  instantly  by  other  blinding 
rays,  which  swept  the  sea  for  a  few  seconds,  and 
then  all  the  beams  concentrated  on  the  little 
flotilla,  showing  up  with  the  clearness  of  daylight 
the  fou,r  low-lying  submarine-like  hulls  gliding 
speedily  through  the  water.  There  was  a  moment's 
silence,  during  which  the  Morse  signalling  lamps  of 
the  M.L.'s  were  being  prepared  to  flash  out  their 
message.  A  searchlight  blinked  and  there  followed 
another  brief  interval  of  silence,  then,  without 
warning,  a  tongue  of  livid  flame  stabbed  the  dark- 
ness and  a  shell  whistled  overhead.  It  was 
followed  by  other  flashes  and  the  sharp  reports  of 
quick-firing  guns.  Columns  of  water  spouted  into 
the  air  close  to  the  M.L.'s,  whose  engines  had, 
luckily,  ceased  to  throb.  The  firing  stopped  as 
suddenly  as  it  had  commenced.  Signals  began 
flashing  angrily  in  many  directions.  Destroyers 
tore  out  of  the  darkness  around  into  the  broad 

190 


Off  to  the  Zones  of  War 

circle  of  light.  Armed  trawlers  nosed  their  way 
in  and  wicked  grey  tubes  were  trained  on  the  now 
stationary  flotilla.  Presently  the  angry  flashing 
of  mast  head-lights  subsided  into  the  regular  dot 
and  dash  of  respectable  communication.  Several 
destroyers  seemed  to  be  having  nasty  things  said 
to  them,  which  they  answered  with  a  feeble  wink, 
and  an  armed  trawler  made  futile  flashes  of 
explanation. 

A  little  twinkling  star,  more  lofty  and  dignified 
than  the  rest,  called  up  the  leading  M.L.  and  was 
answered  with  an  alacrity  that  evidently  unnerved 
it,  for  it  flickered  and  died  out.  Suddenly  it  came 
to  life  again  and  winked  away  at  an  alarming  rate, 
but  all  to  no  purpose,  for,  true  to  the  old  axiom 
that  more  haste  means  less  speed,  it  had  to  stop 
and  go  over  the  message  again,  this  time  sufficiently 
slow  for  novices  to  understand.  What  it  said  is 
a  State  secret.  It  is  rumoured,  however,  that 
several  officers  were  "  mentioned  in  dispatches  " 
for  the  part  they  played  in  this  local  action,  caused 
by  mistaken  identity,  but  alas  !  their  skill  and 
bravery  remained  unrewarded  by  an  unsym- 
pathetic Government. 


191 


CHAPTER  XV 

A  MEMORABLE  CHRISTMAS 

No  calling  tempers  the  human  steel  in  so  short  a 
period  as  that  of  the  sea.  At  all  times  and  in 
every  part  of  the  world  the  sailorman  wages  a 
never-ending  fight  with  Nature  in  her  wildest  and 
most  dreaded  modes.  When  to  this  is  added  a 
conflict  of  nations  and  their  ships,  with  all  the 
ingenious  death-traps  of  modern  naval  science,  it 
merely  increases  the  odds  against  him  and  serves 
to  steady  his  hand  and  brain  in  order  to  overcome 
them. 

In  a  few  short  weeks  the  sea  had  set  its  stamp 
on  the  men  of  the  new  navy.  Faces  became 
bronzed  by  the  sun,  wind  and  spindrift.  Muscles 
grew  hard  and  eyes  and  nerves  more  steady. 
Each  time  a  vessel  went  forth  on  patrol  or  other 
duty  new  difficulties  or  dangers  were  met  and 
overcome  without  advice  or  assistance,  and  the 
confidence  of  men  in  themselves  and  in  the  ships 
they  worked  grew  apace. 

In  many  of  the  principal  zones  of  war,  such  as  the 
North  Sea  and  the  Atlantic,  the  wind  grew  colder 
and  the  seas  more  fierce  as  the  short  summer 
passed.  Duffel  or  Arctic  clothing  was  served  out 
to  both  officers  and  men.  Sea-boots  and  oilskins 
became  necessary.  Balaclava  helmets,  mufflers 

192 


A  Memorable  Christmas 

and  other  woollen  gear  appeared,  and  men  became 
almost  unrecognisable  bundles  of  clothing.  The 
ascent  at  4  A.M.  from  the  cabin  to  the  cold,  wet 
deck  can  be  likened  only  to  the  first  plunge  of  a 
cold  bathing  season.  Casualties  became  more 
frequent  as  the  enemy  intensified  his  submarine 
and  mining  campaign.  The  news  and  sight  of 
sudden  death  no  longer  blanched  the  faces  of  men 
who  knew  that  it  might  be  their  turn  at  any 
ir.oment  of  every  day  and  night.  The  stir  of 
suppressed  excitement  when  danger  threatened 
no  longer  manifested  itself  in  every  movement,  but 
rather  in  the  cool,  deliberate  action  of  self-confi- 
dence. In  a  word,  the  raw  material  was  being 
tempered  in  the  furnace  of  war. 

To  those  in  northern  seas  came  the  blinding 
sleet,  the  slate -grey  combers  and  the  innumerable 
hardships  and  dangers  of  winter  patrol.  A  better 
idea  of  what  these  really  were  will  be  obtained 
from  the  following  account  of  a  Christmas  spent 
on  a  German  mine-field. 

A  bitter  wind  swept  the  grey  wastes  of  the 
North  Sea  and  a  fine  haze  of  snow,  driven  by  sting- 
ing gusts,  obscured  all  except  the  long  hillocks 
of  water  which  rose  and  fell  around  the  tiny  M.L. 
—a  lonely  thirty  tons  of  nautical  humanity  in  as 
many  square  leagues  of  sub-Arctic  sea. 

Nineteen  degrees  of  frost  during  the  long  winter 
night  had  flattened  the  boisterous,  foam-capped 
waves,  and  now,  in  the  early  December  dawn,  all 
within  vision  was  of  that  colourless  grey  so  familiar 
N  193 


A  Memorable  Christmas 

to  those  who  kept  the  North  Sea  on  the  winter 
patrol. 

It  was  one  bell  in  the  first  watch  and  three 
shapeless  figures  clad  in  duffel  coats  with  big  hoods 
and  wearing  heavy  sea-boots  stood  silent  in  the 
draughty,  canvas-screened  wheel-house  as  M.L.822 
wallowed  northwards  through  the  seas  which  came 
in  endless  succession  out  of  the  snowy  mist.  It 
was  just  the  ordinary  everyday  patrol  duty,  when 
nothing  wras  expected  but  anything  might  happen, 
so  eyes  were  strained  seawards  in  a  vain  endeavour 
to  penetrate  the  icy  curtain  blowing  down  from  the 
Pole.  Twelve  hours  more  of  half-frozen  existence 
stretched  in  front  of  these  silent  watchers,  as  they 
clung  with  stiffened  limbs  to  ropes  stretched 
purposely  handy  to  keep  them  upright  when  the 
little  ship  lurched  more  fiercely  in  a  steeper  sea. 

Of  the  three  figures  in  the  meagre  shelter  of  the 
wheel-house  there  was  little  to  .distinguish  who  or 
what  they  were,  except,  perhaps,  a  cleaner  and 
more  yellowish  duffel  coat  and  a  big  white  muffler 
in  which  the  lieutenant-in-command  tried,  without 
success,  to  keep  his  teeth  from  chattering  and  the 
icy  draught  from  finding  its  way  into  the  seemingly 
endless  openings  of  his  woollen  clothing.  What  he 
had  been  before  the  Great  War  and  the  North  Sea 
claimed  him  was  a  mystery  to  those  on  board,  but 
the  people  of  more  than  one  capital  knew  his  name. 
Near  by  stood  a  younger  man— a  boy  before  the 
war — who,  although  pale  and  dark-eyed,  did  not 
appear  to  feel  the  intense  cold  so  much,  although 
the  dampness  of  the  long-past  summer  fogs  had 

194 


A  Memorable  Christmas 

chilled  him  to  the  bone.  He  was  the  sub-lieutenant, 
and  hailed  from  the  Great  North-West,  where 
Canadian  winters  had  hardened  his  skin  to  the 
stinging  dry  cold. 

The  immense  bundle   of    nondescript   clothing 
at  the  wheel  was  "  Mac/'  the  coxswain,  whose 


FIG.  33. — Duffel  or  Arctic  clothing. 

voyages  in  Arctic  seas  with  the  Iceland  fishing  fleet 
numbered  more  than  his  years  of  life,  and  whose 
deep-voiced  Gaelic  roar  could  bring  the  "  watch 
below  "  on  to  the  cold,  wet  deck  to  their  action 
stations  in  less  time  thari  it  would  take  a  new 
recruit  to  tumble  out  of  his  hammock. 

Although  the  silence  of  the  sea  seems  to  settle  on 
its  watchers  in  those  northern  marches,  there  was 
an  unduly  long  absence  of  comment  on  the  nature 
of  the  weather  and  the  prospects  of  "  something 

195 


A  Memorable  Christmas 

exciting  "  turning  up  out  of  the  icy  mist.  The 
reason  lay  in  the  subconscious  mind  of  all  on  deck, 
for  it  was  Christmas  morning,  1916,  and  the 
thoughts  of  all  were  dwelling  on  past  years  in  the 
cheery  surroundings  of  English  and  Colonial  homes 
— in  vivid  contrast  to  the  dismal  grey  of  the  North 
Sea.  To  break  the  spell  of  memory  both  officers 
felt  would  be  blasphemy,  and  yet  a  feeble  attempt 
at  conversation  was  made  every  now  and  then  for 
the  sake  of  appearances. 

To  Mac,  from  the  Orkneys,  no  such  sentiment 
held  sway,  for  Christmas  to  him  meant  little  com- 
pared with  New  Year's  Day  ;  but  this  was  a  special 
Christmas,  for  a  big  plum  pudding  was  being  boiled 
on  the  petrol  stove  below,  and  each  roll  of  the  little 
vessel  threatened  its  useful  existence.    Eventually 
he  could  keep  silent  no  longer  and  tentatively  sug- 
gested a  change  of  course  to  ease  the  violent  lurch 
ing.    The  wheel  was  spun  round  with  alacrity  a 
the  telegraph  rang  out   below  and   the  engine 
slowed  down    to   a  slow   pulsating    throb.    The 
sharp  bows  of  the  patrol  boat  rose  dripping  fromj 
each  green-grey  mass  of  sea  as  it  rolled  up  out  of  the 
white  haze  ahead  and  then  fell  gently  back  into  the 
trough.     The  violent  pitching  gave  place  to  a  more 
easy  see-saw  movement,  and  in  spite  of  the  cold 
which  seemed  to  grow  keener  every  minute  to  the 
half-numbed  figures  on  deck,  a  grunt  of  satisfaction 
escaped  the  helmsman,  and  visions  of  steaming 
plum  duff— a  present  from  the  Admiral's  wife  — 
supplanted  the  more  anxious  thoughts  of  war  anc 
the  dangers   of  mine  and  submarine  which  l 

196 


A  Memorable  Christmas 

hidden  in  the  white  snow-mists  and  grey  seas 
around. 

The  four  hands  in  the  forecastle,  who  formed 
the  watch  below,  were  lying  on  their  bunks,  for 
sitting  meant  holding  on,  and  were  discussing 
orgies  on  past  Christmas  days  and  planning  future 
ones  with  a  nonchalance  bred  of  daily  rubbing 
shoulders  with  danger  and  death.  Snatches  of 
popular  music  hall  songs  penetrated  the  closed 
hatchways,  but  were  drowned  by  the  splash  of  the 
sea  against  the  ship's  side. 

This  silent  battle  with  monotony,  bitter  cold 
and  drenching  showers  of  spray,  with  several 
numbing  hours  on  deck,  followed  by  an  equal 
time  lying  on  the  bunks  below — still  cold  and 
wet,  for  fires  and  dry  clothes  were  almost  un- 
known in  the  patrol  boats  during  the  long  winter 
months  in  the  cruel  northern  seas — might  have 
lasted  all  day,  until  darkness  and  increasing 
cold  added  their  quota  to  the  sum  of  misery, 
and  the  day  patrol  crept  silently  into  harbour, 
to  be  relieved  by  their  brethren  of  the  night 
guard. 

But  such, was  not  to  be,  for  it  was  a  Christmas 
Day  that  will  live  for  ever  in  the  memory  of  the 
men  on  Patrol  Launch  No.  822,  to  be  recalled  in 
the  peaceful  years  ahead  to  eager  listeners  at 
many  a  fireside. 

Two  bells  in  the  afternoon  watch  had  barely 
struck  when  from  out  of  the  haze  ahead  came  a 
low  reverberating  boom  !  The  three  figures  on 
the  bridge  stiffened  to  alertness  and  the  chilled 

197 


A  Memorable  Christmas 

blood  went  coursing  more  warmly  through  their 
veins.  A  few  seconds  of  strained  listening,  re- 
warded only  by  the  noise  oi  the  sea,  then  the  tele- 
graph was  moved  forward,  a  sharp  jangle  of  bells 
came  from  the  engine-room  and  forecastle  and  the 
slow  pulsating  of  the  motors  grew  to  a  loud  roar. 
The  watch  below  came  tumbling  on  to  the  wet 
deck,  to  be  lashed  with  clouds  of  blinding,  stinging 
spray,  which  now  flew  high  over  the  little  ship  as 
the  400 -horse -power  engines  drove  her  at  18  knots 
through  the  grey,  misty  seas. 

Experience  had  made  that  dull  roar  familiar  to 
all  on  board,  and  it  needed  no  order  from  the  now 
hard-faced  C.O.  to  cause  every  man  to  don  his 
"  capuc "  life-belt  in  readiness  for  the  hidden 
dangers  which  they  knew  to  be  strewn  in  the 
pathways  of  the  sea  ahead. 

Mines  are  moored  at  a  given  depth  below  the 
surface,  usually  from  six  to  ten  feet.  The  rise  and 
fall  of  the  tide,  therefore,  either  increases  or  de- 
creases the  stratum  of  free  water  above  them. 
This  causes  these  invisible  submarine  weapons  to 
be  more  dangerous  to  shallow-draught  vessels,  such 
as  motor  patrol  launches,  at  low  tide,  when  there  is 
little  water  between  the  tops  of  their  horns  and  the 
surface,  than  at  high  tide.  More  will,  however,  be 
said  in  a  later  chapter  about  mines  and  the  diffi- 
culties of  laying  them. 

It  so  happened  that  on  this  occasion  the  tide  was 
low  and  the  mines  consequently  extremely  danger- 
ous to  even  the  shallowest  draught  type  of  war- 
ship. The  speed  of  the  M.L.  was  increased  until 

198 


A  Memorable  Christmas 

the  twin  engines  were  revolving  at  the  rate  of  490 
a  minute. 

The  snow  haze  seemed  suddenly  to  grow  thicker 
and  all  around  the  flurries  of  white  blotted  out  the 
distant  view.  The  minutes  of  pounding  through 
the  slate-grey  seas  seemed  interminably  long,  and 
the  flying  clouds  of  icy  spray  stung  every  exposed 
part  of  the  human  frame. 

When  about  three  sea  miles  had  been  traversed 
the  engines  were  stopped  and  all  on  board  listened 
for  a  cry  from  the  sea  ahead.  The  C.O.  pulled  the 
peak  of  his  drenched  cap  farther  over  his  eyes  and 
gazed  out  into  the  opaque  greyness  ahead. 

Minutes  passed;  but  little  ships  cannot  rest 
quietly  on  the  open  sea.  The  lash  of  the  water 
and  the  slapping  of  the  meagre  rigging  drowned  any 
faint  sound  there  might  have  been,  and  once  more 
the  engines  throbbed  to  the  order  "  Slow  ahead  !  " 

Barely  had  the  ship  gathered  way  before  a  dark 
object  appeared  momentarily  in  the  trough  of  the 
sea  about  two  degrees  on  the  starboard  bow  and 
the  next  instant  seemed  swallowed  up. 

A  warning  cry  from  the  look-out  on  the  tiny 
sea-washed  foVsle  head,  a  sharp  order  from  the 
bridge,  and,  within  its  own  length,  the  patrol  boat 
swung  rapidly  to  port.  At  the  same  moment  a 
dan-buoy  splashed  overboard  to  mark  the  position 
of  the  floating  mine.  A  few  yards  more  to  the 
eastward  and  No.  822  would  have  appeared  in 
the  list  of  the  missing. 

Minutes  of  tense  nerve  strain  followed,  for  all 
knew  that  the  ship  was  in  the  midst  of  a  mine-field, 

199 


A  Memorable  Christmas 

and  the  deadly  horns  which  had  been  momentarily 
visible  on  the  surface  were  but  a  single  example 
of  the  many  which  lurked  around.  Eyes  were 
strained  into  the  grey -green  depths,  and  yet  all 
knew  the  impossibility  of  seeing.  Again  the  look- 
out's warning  cry  and  the  engines  were  reversed, 
but  this  time  it  was  not  a  mine,  but  the  victim  of 
one,  holding  on  to  a  piece  of  wrreckage. 

Willing  hands  hauled  the  half-frozen  form  on 
board  and  stanched  the  blood  that  still  oozed 
from  cuts  on  the  face  and  neck.  Blankets  and 
hot-water  bottles  were  soon  forthcoming,  and  the 
battered  remnant — for  both  a  leg  and  thigh  bone 
were  broken — was  placed  as  carefully  as  the  lurch- 
ing of  the  ship  would  allow  in  the  aft -cabin  bunk. 
Before  this  could  be  accomplished,  however,  a  cry 
again  rang  out  from  the  watch  on  the  fo'c'sle  head 
and  yet  another  body  was  hauled  aboard,  but  the 
shock  or  the  cold  had  here  taken  its  toll. 

The  sea  around  was  searched  in  vain  for  further 
survivors.  A  few  planks,  a  signal  locker,  a  broken 
life-raft  and  a  meat-safe  were  all  that  was  left  of 
the  trawler  Mayflower,  homeward  bound  from 
Iceland  to  Grimsby. 

A  silence  seemed  to  brood  over  the  patrol  boat 
as  she  slowly  picked  her  way  out  of  the  mine-field. 
The  crew  went  about  their  tasks  without  the  usual 
jests  and  snatches  of  song,  and  the  pudding,  which 
but  a  few  short  hours  before  had  seemed  the  most 
important  event  of  the  day,  lay  unheeded  on  the 
floor  of  the  galley,  where  it  had  been  thrown  by 
the  cook  in  the  haste  for  hot  water. 

200 


A  Memorable  Christmas 

In  the  failing  light  of  the  December  afternoon 
the  bow  of  the  patrol  boat  was  turned  shorewards, 
and,  with  a  rising  sea  curling  up  astern,  she  raced 
through  the  slate-grey  water  with  her  burden  of 
living  and  dead.  It  was  one  of  those  moments 
which  call  for  a  rapid  decision  on  a  difficult  point, 
when  the  order  had  to  be  given  for  the  course  to  be 
laid  for  harbour,  and  the  C.O.,  cold  and  miserably 
wet  after  seven  hours  on  the  bridge,  wore  an 
anxious  look.  He  knew  not  which  had  the  greater 
claim,  the  desperately  wounded  man  in  the  cabin 
or  other  ships  which  might  bear  down  on  the  mine- 
field during  the  long  bitter  night.  It  was  a  point 
on  which  the  rules  of  war  and  the  dictates  of 
humanity  clashed. 

Again  the  ship  was  turned  into  the  rapidly 
darkening  east,  and  all  through  that  bitter  night 
the  field  of  death  was  guarded.  Stiffened  fingers 
flashed  out  the  warning  signal  when  black  hulls 
loomed  out  of  the  darkness.  Numbed  limbs  clung 
for  dear  life  when  green  seas  washed  the  tiny  decks, 
and  when  dawn  broke  over  the  waste  of  tumbling 
sea  the  men  on  M.L.822  knew  that  Christmas 
Day,  1916,  would  live  for  ever  in  their  memory. 


201 


CHAPTER  XVI 
THE  DERELICT 

THERE  are  few  things  more  heart-breaking  than 
sea  patrol,  which  forms  the  principal  duty  of  anti- 
submarine fleets.  Hours,  days  and  even  months 
may  pass  with  nothing  to  relieve  the  monotony  of 
grey  sea  and  sky,  with  occasional  glimpses  of  wave- 
tossed  ships. 

There  are,  of  course,  intervening  periods  in 
harbour,  when  fierce  gales  howl  overhead,  and 
guard  duty  on  rain-swept  quaysides,  or  sentry-go 
in  blinding  snowstorms,  comes  almost  as  a  relief 
from  the  sameness  of  winter  days  on  northern  seas. 

It  is,  however,  the  unexpected  which  generally 
occurs  in  war,  and  during  those  terrible  winters 
from  1914-1918  it  was  the  ever-present  hope  of 
action  that  kept  the  spirits  of  many  a  sailorman 
from  sinking  below  the  Plimsoll  line  of  health. 

Sometimes  the  happenings  were  grave  and  at 
other  times  gay,  but  always  they  were  welcomed 
eagerly,  as  providing  excitement  or  change,  with 
something  to  talk  about  in  the  unknown  number 
of  dreary  weeks  ahead. 

An  episode  of  this  kind  occurred  one  snowy 
January  night  in  1917  on  the  quayside  of  a  northern 
seaport.  The  commanding  officer  of  one  of  the 
patrol  boats  in  the  harbour  was  going  ashore  to 

202 


The  Derelict 

stay  for  the  night  with  some  friends.  Knowing 
that  his  ship  was  due  to  proceed  to  sea  early  the 
following  morning,  he  took  the  precaution  to  place 
a  small  alarm  clock  in  the  big  pocket  of  his  bridge- 
coat.  Groping  his  way  in  the  darkness  and  blind- 
ing snow  across  the  gangway  leading  from  the  ship 
to  the  quay,  he  succeeded  in  reaching  the  dock  wall. 
Almost  instantly  he  was  challenged  by  a  military 
sentry  on  duty  and  was  about  to  reply  when  a  loud 
buzzing  noise  came  from  his  pocket.  He  had  not 
thought  of  ascertaining  at  what  time  the  alarm 
clock  had  been  set  for  and  the  consequences  were 
distinctly  unpleasant. 

The  sentry,  hearing  the  curious  buzzing  sound 
coming  from  the  darkness  directly  he  had  given 
the  challenge,  and  thinking  it  came  from  some 
form  of  bomb,  lunged  smartly  with  his  bayonet  at 
the  spot  from  which  the  sound  emanated. 

Fortunately  the  officer  was  near  the  edge  of  the 
dock  wall  and  did  not  receive  the  full  effect  of  the 
thrust.  The  bayonet  tore  his  coat  and  pushed 
him  violently  over  the  edge  into  the  icy  water  of 
the  harbour.  His  lusty  shouts  caused  searchlights 
to  be  turned  on  and  he  was  rescued  promptly,  but 
the  episode,  small  and  unimportant  as  it  was, 
caused  considerable  merriment— except  to  the 
principal  actor — for  many  days  afterwards. 

All  this  may  sound  much  like  heresy  to  those 
who  think  that  naval  war  means  constant  fighting, 
with  all  the  pomp  and  circumstance  of  old-time 
battles.  There  are,  it  is  true,  never-to-be-forgotten 
moments  when  the  blood  surges  and  pulses  beat 

203 


The  Derelict 

rapidly,  when  the  months  of  weary  waiting  are 
atoned  for  in  as  many  minutes  of  swift  action. 
Such  were  Jutland,  Zeebrugge,  Heligoland,  the 
Falklands  and  many  an  unrecorded  fight  on 
England's  sea  frontier  in  the  years  just  past.  Such 
times  pass  rapidly,  however  ;  they  are  the  mile- 
stones of  war,  leaving  the  weary  leagues  between, 
in  which  there  is  so  much  that  is  sordid  and  even 
ghastly,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  following. 

The  sea  offers  but  few  sights  more  melancholy 
than  the  wave-washed  derelict — the  now  desolate, 
helpless  and  forlorn  thing  that  was  once  a  ship,  the 
home  of  men — seen  in  the  half-light  of  a  winter 
dawn,  rising  and  falling  sluggishly  on  the  dirty  grey 
swell — the  aftermath  of  storm — with  white  water 
washing  through  its  broken  bulwarks,  yards  and 
sails  adrift,  a  thing  without  life  on  the  sad  sea  waves. 

A  wireless  message  from  a  ship  passing  the 
derelict  on  the  previous  day  had  brought  an  M.L. 
from  the  nearest  naval  base  to  search  the  area, 
and  after  a  night  of  wandering  over  shadowy  grey 
slopes  of  water  the  dawn  had  revealed  it  less  than 
two  miles  distant. 

There  could  be  no  doubt  as  to  its  nationality,  for 
the  white  cross  of  Denmark,  on  the  red  ground,  was 
painted  on  the  weather-beaten  sides,  now  showing 
just  above  the  sea.  Deserted  and  half -waterlogged, 
it  was  being  kept  afloat  by  a  cargo  of  timber, 
some  of  which  could  be  seen  in  chaos  on  the  deck. 

The  M.L.  approached  cautiously,  with  thick  rope 
fenders  over  her  rubbing-streak  to  prevent  the 

204 


The  Derelict 

frail  hull  from  being  damaged.  This  coming 
alongside  other  ships  in  the  open  sea,  except  in  the 
very  calmest  of  weather,  is  a  ticklish  manoeuvre, 
and  requires  considerable  skill  in  the  handling  of 
these  small  and  very  fragile  craft.  What  would 
be  considered  quite  a  light  blow  on  the  stout  hull 
of  any  ordinary  ship  would  crush  in  the  thin 
timbers  of  a  patrol  launch,  for  in  the  construction 
of  these  boats  speed  and  shallow  draught  were  the 
predominant  factors  considered. 

When  the  M.L.  had  been  made  fast  on  the  lee- 
side  of  the  derelict  a  boarding  party  scrambled 
over  the  damaged  bulwarks  on  to  the  sea-washed 
deck.  Here  was  a  scene  of  chaos  —  rigging 
tangled  and  swinging  loosely  from  masts  and 
yards;  sails  torn  and  shreds  still  clinging  to 
ropes  and  spars ;  loose  planks  of  her  deck  cargo 
lying  all  over  the  place,  and  a  general  air  of 
abandon  and  desolation  difficult  to  describe. 

A  mass  of  broken  woodwork  in  the  well  of  the 
ship  was  soon  discovered  to  be  the  remains  of  a 
deck-house,  and  this  gave  the  first  clue  to  the 
reason  for  her  sorry  plight.  Pieces  of  shrapnel 
were  found  sticking  in  the  timbers,  and  further 
search  revealed  shell-holes  through  the  hull  and 
cut  rigging.  A  signal  was  flying  from  the  mizen 
halyards,  and  the  name  on  the  counter,  although 
spattered  with  shot,  was  still,  in  part,  decipherable 
— Rickivik,  Copenhafen. 

So  the  officer  in  charge  of  the  boarding  party 
commenced  his  report  with  the  name  of  the  ship 
and  the  port  from  which  she  hailed,  adding  thereto 

205 


The  Derelict 

the  evident  fact  that  she  had  been  heavily  shelled 
— just  a  brief  statement  which  left  to  the  imagina- 
tion all  the  incidents  and,  alas !  tragedies  of  an 
unequal  fight. 

A  high -explosive  shell  had  struck  the  little  raised 
poop,  demolishing  the  hatchway  leading  to  the 
cabins  beneath,  and  some  heavy  work  with  axe 
and  saw  would  have  been  necessary  to  obtain  an 
entry  had  an  easier  \vay  not  been  available  through 
the  shattered  skylight.  In  the  low-roofed  cabin 
all  was  disorder.  Tables  and  lockers  were 
smashed,  and  the  shell  which  had  burst  overhead 
had  filled  the  place  with  heavy  broken  timbers 
from  the  deck  above. 

So  low  was  the  cabin  roof  of  this  small  three- 
masted  barque,  and  so  dark  the  interior,  that  it 
was  difficult  to  see  about.  A  lantern  was  procured 
and  a  careful  search  commenced.  The  yellow 
light  fell  on  drawers  pulled  out  and  their  contents 
—when  worthless — flung  on  the  floor;  glasses 
and  bottles  smashed  and  a  quaint  old  China  figure 
lying  intact  on  the  broken  timbers.  But  of  the 
ship's  papers  there  was  no  trace,  with  the  single 
exception  of  an  old  Bill  of  Health,  issued  six  years 
previously  in  Baltimore.  Then  the  area  of  search 
moved  from  the  cupboards  and  drawers  to  the 
floor — broken  by  a  shell  which  had  evidently  pene- 
trated the  ship's  stern  and  passed  longitudinally 
through  the  cabin,  exploding  near  the  base  of  the 
companion-hatch. 

Presently  a  startled  exclamation,  followed  by  a 
call  for  the  light,  came  from  the  gloom  around  the 

206 


The  Derelict 

stairway.  Two  of  the  boarding  party  searching 
among  the  debris  had  stumbled  across  something 
which,  instinctively,  sent  a  cold  shiver  through 
them.  The  light,  when  moved  in  that  direction, 
dimly  revealed  the  body  of  a  man  lying  face  down- 
wards on  the  floor.  Only  the  lower  half  of  the 
figure  was,  however,  visible,  a  mass  of  shattered 
timbers  having  collapsed  on  the  head  and  shoulders. 
That  life  had  been  extinct  for  some  considerable 
time  was  evidenced  by  the  sickly  odour  which  hung 
heavily  in  the  less  ventilated  parts  of  the  cabin, 
and  the  work  of  extricating  the  body  was  not  com- 
menced before  the  whole  ship  had  been  searched 
for  possible  survivors. 

This  work  occupied  a  considerable  time,  but 
nothing  of  importance  was  discovered  until  a  slight 
noise,  not  unlike  the  feeble,  inarticulate  cry  of  a 
child  in  pain,  came  through  the  timbers  from 
some  distant  part  of  the  hold.  It  was  repeated 
several  times,  and  the  sailors,  without  waiting 
for  orders,  set  hastily  to  work  to  find  out  the 
cause. 

The  hatches  were  carefully  removed,  but  only 
floating  timber  could  be  seen.  Then  the  sound 
came  again.  This  time  it  was  unmistakable  and 
relieved  the  tension.  A  little  grim  laugh  from  the 
searchers  was  followed  by  much  poking  about  with 
a  long  piece  of  wood  on  the  surface  of  the  flooded 
hold  under  the  decking,  and  some  minutes  later  a 
large  pile  of  timber  floated  into  the  light  from  the 
open  hatchwray,  supporting  a  big  tortoiseshell  cat, 
looking  very  wet  and  emaciated.  "  Ricky  "—for 

207 


The  Derelict 

such  is  her  name  now— proved  to  be  the  only  living 
thing  on  that  ill-fated  ship. 

The  boarding  party  returned  to  the  cabin  and 
commenced  the  objectionable  task  of  extricating 
the  dead  body  from  the  mass  of  wreckage.  The 
work  proceeded  slowly,  for  the  heavy  broken 
timbers  pressed  mercilessly  on  the  object  beneath, 
and  when  at  last  it  lay  revealed  in  the  dim  lantern 
light  its  ghastly  appearance  caused  all  to  step  back 
in  horror.  It  was  a  headless  corpse  ! 


208 


CHAPTER  XVII 
MINED-IN 

How  many  people  realise  that,  with  a  single  un- 
important exception,  there  was  no  part  of  the 
English  or  Scottish  coast  which  was  not  mined-in 
at  least  once  by  German  submarines  during  1914- 
1918  ?  Harbour  entrances,  often  less  than  two 
miles  from  the  shore,  were  repeatedly  blocked  by 
lines  of  hostile  mines,  laid  by  U-C  boats  through 
their  stern  tubes,  in  which  they  seldom  carried  less 
than  fifteen  to  twenty  of  these  deadly  weapons, 
without  the  vessels  rising  to  the  surface  either 
when  approaching  the  coast,  laying  the  mines  or 
effecting  their  escape. 

Many  important  waterways,  such  as  the  Straits 
of  Dover,  the  mouth  of  the  Thames,  the  approaches 
to  Liverpool,  the  Firth  of  Forth,  Aberdeen,  Lowes- 
toft  and  Portsmouth,  were  repeatedly  chosen  for 
this  form  of  submarine  attack.  At  one  base  alone 
no  less  than  400  mines  were  destroyed  by  the 
attached  anti-submarine  flotillas  in  one  year,  and 
round  the  coasts  of  the  United  Kingdom  an  aver- 
age of  about  3000  of  these  invisible  weapons  were 
located  and  destroyed  annually. 

What  this  meant  to  the  24,000,000  tons  of 
mercantile  shipping  passing  to  and  fro  through  the 
danger  zone  every  month  will  be  better  realised 
o  209 


Mined-In 

when  it  is  stated  that  less  than  400  merchant  ships 
were  blown  up  by  mines  during  the  three  years  of 
intensive  submarine  warfare. 

The  losses  among  the  minesweeping  and  patrol 
flotillas,  which  were  mainly  responsible  for  the 
crushing  defeat  of  this  piratical  campaign,  were, 
however,  very  heavy.  They  amounted  to  over 
200  ships  and  several  thousand  men.  Few 
will  therefore  deny  to  those  who  lived  and  to 
those  who  died  a  share  in  the  glory  of  the  great 
victory. 

Statistics  make  but  uninteresting  reading,  and 
from  the  following  account  of  what  happened  off 
a  big  Scottish  seaport  while  the  inhabitants 
ashore  slept  in  peace  and  safety  a  better  idea 
will  be  obtained  of  the  arduous  nature  of  the 
work  of  minesweeping  and  patrol  in  time  of 
war  than  could  possibly  be  imparted  by  pages 
of  figures. 

The  earty  dusk  of  a  winter  evening  was  settling 
over  a  white  land  and  a  leaden  sea.  A  mist  of 
sliding  snow  increased  the  gloom  and  blotted  out 
the  vessels  ahead  and  astern  as  the  line  of  patrol 
boats  left  the  comparative  warmth  and  security  of 
one  of  the  largest  northern  harbours  for  twelve 
hours  in  the  bitter  frost  on  night  patrol. 

The  cold  was  intense  and  of  that  penetrating 
nature  which  causes  men  to  shiver  even  in  the 
thickest  of  clothing.  Although  some  eighteen 
degrees  of  frost  had  flattened  the  sea,  a  freezing 
spray  still  blew  in  showers  over  the  narrow  deck 

210 


Mined-In 

and,  for  just  a  few  minutes,  the  lead-grey  sky 
gleamed  dully  red  as  the  sun  dipped  below  the 
snow-covered  land. 

The  crew  of  the  M.L.  moved  about  the  cramped 
deck  stiffly,  for  they  were  clad  in  duffel  suits,  oil- 
skins and  sea-boots,  and  little  but  their  eyes  and 
hands  were  visible.  The  officer  on  the  small 
canvas-screened  bridge  was  likewise  an  almost 
unrecognisable  bundle  of  yellow  and  white  wool 
and  black  leather.  As  a  contrast,  however,  to  the 
whitening  deck  and  snow-clad  men,  the  reflection 
of  a  warm  yellow  light  came  up  through  the  ward- 
room hatchway,  and  more  than  one  longing  glance 
was  cast  down  into  the  snug  interior. 

These  men  were  not  all  hardened  by  long  and 
severe  sea  training  ;  many  of  them  formed  part  of 
the  new  navy,  gaining  experience  amid  the  bitter 
cold  and  dangers  of  the  grey  North  Sea.  A  call 
for  the  signalman  came  from  the  bridge,  and  a 
boy,  who  had  been  swinging  his  arms  to  warm 
his  numbed  fingers,  responded  smartly.  The 
lieutenant-in-command  wiped  the  snow  from  his 
eyes  as  he  peered  round  the  canvas  side-screen  and 
asked  tersely  what  the  next  ship  ahead  was  trying 
to  signal. 

The  boy  seized  his  semaphore  flags  and  went  out 

on  to  the  spray-swept  fore-deck,  steadying  himself 

against  the  fo'c'sle  hatch  cover.     He  flinched  at 

1  first  when  the  spray  stung  the  exposed  parts  of  his 

I  body,  and  then,  with  straining  eyes  and  dripping 

|  oilskins,  he  managed,  after  the  words  had  been  re- 

'  peated  several  times,  to  read  the  signal  which  was 

211 


Mined-In 

being  sent  down  the  line  from  the  leading  ship 
somewhere  in  the  white  haze  ahead. 

"  Proceed  independently  to  allotted  stations  for 
night  patrol  "  was  the  order  then  conveyed  to  the 
bridge  and  afterwards  passed  on  by  flag  to  the  next 
astern.  When  the  last  ship  had  received  the  signal 
each  unit  of  the  flotilla  swung  out  of  line  and  dis- 
appeared in  the  sliding  snow. 

As  the  darkness  increased  the  cold  strengthened 
and  a  little  bitter  wind  began  to  moan  through 
the  scanty  rigging.  Men  stamped  their  feet  and 
swung  their  arms  to  increase  the  circulation  in 
numbed  limbs,  and  every  now  and  then  during  the 
next  three  hours  one  member  of  the  watch  on  deck 
would  disappear  for  a  few  minutes  down  the  galley 
hatchway  to  drink  a  cup  of  hot  cocoa,  which,  so  far, 
the  cook  had  succeeded  in  keeping  warm  on  the  ill- 
natured  petrol  stove. 

At  9  P.M.  the  first  watch  was  over  and  half- frozen 
men  climbed  stiffly  down  the  iron  ladder  into  the 
tiny  fo'c'sle,  where  the  heat  and  fugg  of  oil  stoves 
caused  their  thawing  limbs  to  throb  painfully. 
The  starboard  watch,  fresh  from  the  heat  of  the 
tiny  cabin,  whose  four  hours  on  deck  now  com- 
menced, were  shivering  in  the  icy  wind  and  showers 
of  spray. 

Glancing  at  the  dimly  lit  chart  on  the  small 
table  cunningly  fitted  into  the  front  of  the  wheel- 
house,  the  commander  noted  the  approximate 
position  of  the  ship  in  the  140,000  square  miles  of 
sea  and  snow  around,  and  then  turning  to  the 
coxswain,  whose  "  trick  "  it  was  at  the  wheel,  he 

212 


Mined-In 

gave  the  necessary  orders  for  the  course  and  speed. 
The  duty  of  this  vessel  was  to  patrol  certain 
approaches  to  the  great  harbour  on  which  the 
flotilla  was  based  until  relieved  at  daybreak  by 
another  unit,  and,  as  merchant  ships  had  many 
times  been  attacked  in  these  waters,  a  sharp  look- 
out was  necessary.  To  carry  this  out  effectively 
in  the  darkness  and  driving  snow  was  a  task  calling 
for  all  the  qualities  of  dogged  endurance  inherent 
in  the  British  sailor. 

For  over  two  hours  nothing  was  seen  or  heard 
except  the  moaning  of  the  wind  and  the  lash  of  the 
sea,  but  shortly  after  midnight  one  of  the  look-outs 
reported  the  sound  of  engines  away  to  the  star- 
board. 

The  M.L.  's  propellers  were  stopped  and  the  watch 
on  deck  listened  intently.  The  splash  of  the  sea 
and  the  many  noises  of  a  rolling  ship  drowned  any 
other  sound  there  might  have  been,  and  the  patrol 
was  then  continued.  Less  than  half-an-hour  later, 
however,  the  clank  !  clank  !  clank  !  of  engines 
again  became  suddenly  audible,  and  the  vessel  was 
turned  in  the  direction  of  the  sound. 

The  engines  were  put  to  full  speed  ahead,  and 
as  each  comber  struck  the  bows  the  little  ship 
trembled  from  stem  to  stern,  and  clouds  of  icy 
spray  swept  high  over  the  mast.  The  big  steel 
hull  of  some  man-o'-war  or  merchantman  might 
suddenly  loom  up  out  of  the  darkness  so  close 
ahead  that  no  skill  could  avoid  a  collision,  and  the 
eyes  of  all  aboard  were  gazing  alertly  into  the 
blackness  of  the  night. 

213 


Mined-In 

Five  minutes'  dash  through  the  blinding,  sting- 
ing spray  and  the  engines  were  once  more  shut  off 
to  listen.  The  curious  clanking  noise  had,  how- 
ever, ceased,  and  although  hydrophones  were  used 
to  again  locate  the  sound,  there  was  no  result,  only 
the  ceaseless  wash  of  the  sea  and  the  low  moaning 
of  the  wind.  Another  mile  or  so  of  pounding 
through  the  waves,  followed  by  an  interval  of 
listening,  brought  the  same  discouraging  result, 
and  the  slow,  monotonous  routine  of  patrol  was 
continued. 

The  stinging  frost  of  the  night  became  the  numb- 
ing cold  of  early  morning,  and  the  long  hours  in  the 
snow  and  icy  spray  had  left  their  mark  on  all. 
Limbs  were  stiff  and  sore.  The  edges  of  wet  and 
half-frozen  sleeves  rasped  swollen  wrists.  Faces 
smarted  and  eyes  ached,  but  little  was  said  in  the 
way  of  complaint,  for  men  grow  hard  on  northern 
seas  or  else  succumb  to  the  hardships. 

When  the  first  dim  light  of  a  winter  dawn  broke 
reluctantly  over  the  grey  tumbling  sea  and  whirl- 
ing snow  another  night  patrol  was  over,  and  the 
cheering  thought  came  to  all  that  soon  the  welcome 
warmth  and  shelter  of  club  and  recreation  room 
would  embrace  them  for  the  brief  hours  of  daylight, 
while  others  kept  watch  upon  the  seas. 

It  had  been  snowing  hard  for  the  past  twenty- 
four  hours,  but  as  the  light  of  a  new  day 
strengthened  it  eased  somewhat,  and  away  to  the 
westward  the  blue  outline  of  the  land  became 
visible.  The  fitful  wind  of  the  night  rose  to  a  stiff 
breeze,  but  no  one  paid  much  attention  to  the 

214 


Mined-In 

increasing  volume  of  bitter  spray  which  swept  the 
deck  as  the  grey-green  rollers  put  on  their  white 
caps  of  foam,  for  the  ship  was  heading  towards  the 
harbour  and  their  vigil  was  over  until  darkness 
again  closed  down. 

Few  things  are  more  trying  to  the  temper  than 
to  be  kept  waiting  for  relief  after  a  bad  spell  at  sea, 
and  but  few  crimes  are  more  heinous  than  to  leave 
the  watched  area  before  another  patrol  takes  up 
the  never-ceasing  duties.  Therefore,  if  peace  and 
quietness  and  an  absence  of  insulting  signals 
counted  for  anything,  it  ill  behove  any  ship  in  the 
day  patrol  to  keep  her  opposite  member  of  the 
night  guard  waiting. 

This  time  the  relief  was  late  and  the  M.L.  steamed 
angrily  up  and  down,  with  all  eyes  strained  shore- 
wards.  Then  the  first  of  the  line  of  armed  trawlers 
and  motor  launches  crawled  out  of  the  harbour  in 
a  smother  of  black  smoke.  When  barely  half-a- 
mile  of  sea  separated  the  incoming  and  outgoing 
ships  a  loud  reverberating  boom  rolled  over  the 
sea.  So  great  was  the  explosion  that  the  shock  of 
it  was  felt  rather  than  heard,  and  a  gigantic  column 
of  black  smoke,  rising  over  100  feet  into  the  air, 
appeared  to  engulf  the  leading  unit  of  the  trawler 
patrol. 

Regardless  of  the  danger,  the  C.O.  of  the 
motor  launch  sent  his  swift  shallow  -  draught 
boat  flying  over  the  mine -field  into  the  floating 
debris.  The  only  two  mangled  survivors  had, 
however,  been  picked  up  by  the  trawler  astern 
of  the  ill-fated  vessel,  which  had  been  literally 

215 


Mined-In 

blown  to  pieces,  nothing  remaining  afloat  when 
the  smoke  cleared  away  except  a  signal  locker 
and  a  few  timbers. 

More  than  one  of  the  other  vessels,  whose  engines 
had  been  stopped  immediately  the  explosion  oc- 
curred, narrowly  escaped  drifting  down  with  the 
tide  on  to  the  field  of  hidden  mines,  but  with  the 
skill  and  presence  of  mind  gained  by  similar  ex- 
periences in  the  past  both  the  trawler  unit  and 
the  M.L.  flotilla  were  extricated  without  further 
loss. 

It  was  evident  from  the  fact  that  several  of  the 
mines  were  barely  submerged  and  could  be  dimly 
seen  from  the  decks  that  the  work  of  laying  them 
had  been  done  hastily  under  the  cover  of  night, 
and  a  sense  of  keen  sorrow  and  disappointment 
pervaded  the  vessels  of  the  night  guard.  Once 
again  climatic  conditions  had  favoured  the  enemy. 
In  those  long  winter  hours  of  impenetrable  black- 
ness and  driving  snow  no  watch,  however  efficient, 
could  be  relied,  upon  to  prevent  such  operations 
from  being  occasionally  carried  out.  It  was  merely 
the  chance  of  war,  but  nevertheless  it  was  felt 
keenly,  and  the  sense  of  responsibility  was  not 
dispelled  until  some  weeks  later. 

When  the  sweepers  arrived  it  was  soon  dis- 
covered that  the  harbour  was  temporarily  mined- 
in.  Signals  were  exchanged  with  the  "  Senior 
Naval  Officer  "  of  the  base,  and  the  night  guard 
was  ordered  to  assist  in  preventing  shipping  from 
attempting  to  enter  the  harbour  before  the 
approaches  had  been  swept  clear  and  the  mines 

216 


Mined-In 

destroyed.  Weary  ships  with  disappointed  crews 
once  more  turned  seawards,  but  the  physical  dis- 
comforts of  stinging  spray  and  frequent  snow- 
storms passed  almost  unnoticed  in  the  efforts  of 
the  flotilla  to  prevent  the  ceaseless  stream  of 
ocean  traffic  from  approaching  the  danger  zone 
unnoticed  in  the  blinding  white  haze. 

Tired  limbs  were  forced  to  continued  efforts  and 
numbed  faculties  were  goaded  afresh.  Big  ships 
loomed  out  of  the  mists  around  and  were  informed 
of  the  dangers  and  directed  into  the  pathways 
of  safety.  Trawlers  returning  from  the  fishing- 
grounds  of  the  far  north  had  to  be  intercepted, 
local  craft  piloted  round  the  mine -field  in  the 
shallow  water  close  inshore,  signals  flashed  to 
the  outer  patrols,  and  the  hours  of  daylight  and 
activity  passed  quickly  by. 

By  seven  bells  in  the  afternoon  watch  the  dusk 
of  the  long  winter  night  began  again  to  settle  over 
the  sea,  blotting  out  one  patrol  from  another.  On 
this  as  on  many  other  similar  nights  spent  in  the 
bitter  frost,  thick  sea  fog  or  flying  spume,  in  waters 
infested  with  mines  and  hostile  submarines,  certain 
senses  became  dulled,  though  the  brain  remained 
alert  and  the  limbs  as  active  as  cramp  and  cold 
would  allow.  But  the  little  incidents  of  those  long 
hours  are  lost  in  blurred  memories  of  cries  from  the 
look-out,  hulls  towering  out  of  the  blackness,  the 
flashing  of  Morse  lamps,  the  ceaseless  and  violent 
pitching  and  rolling  of  a  small  ship,  moments  of 
tense  excitement,  followed  by  hours  of  cold  and 
an  utter  weariness  of  the  soul. 

217 


Mined-In 

When  the  first  pale  streaks  of  returning  daylight 
had  turned  to  the  fiery  red  of  a  frosty  sunrise,  dirty 
and  unshaven  men  moved  painfully  about  the 
slippery  decks.  The  sea  had  flattened  in  the  night 
and  the  snowing  had  ceased,  but  twenty  degrees  of 
frost  had  gripped  the  wet  decks  and  the  soaked 
clothing.  As  the  vessels  stood  towards  the  shore 
weary  eyes  were  turned  anxiously  on  the  signal 
station,  but  not  yet  was  the  recall  to  be  hoisted, 
for  although  the  seas  around  had  been  swept  clear 
of  mines,  there  was  still  a  careful  inspection  to  be 
made  before  the  area  could  be  reported  clear,  so 
that  ships  might  come  and  go. 

When  at  last  a  line  of  flags  fluttered  to  the 
distant  mast-head  away  on  the  hill  ashore,  and  the 
signal-boy  read  out,  "  M.L's  to  return  to  harbour," 
there  was  a  feeble  cheer. 


On  a  calm,  frosty  morning  some  three  weeks 
later  the  boats  of  the  old  night  guard,  now  doing 
their  spell  of  day  duty,  discovered  a  long  trail  of 
thick  greenish-black  oil  on  the  surface  leading  sea- 
wards. It  was  evident  that  a  hostile  submarine 
had  rested  during  the  previous  night  on  the  sandy 
bottom  in  the  shallow  water  close  inshore  and, 
rising  to  the  surface,  had  made  off  at  daybreak. 
The  trail  was  followed  and  information  was  quickly 
received  from  an  Iceland  trawler,  which  had  passed 
the  submarine  on  the  surface  some  two  hours 
previous.  Ships  were  concentrated  by  wireless, 
and  although  it  did  not  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  M.L.'s 

218 


Mined-In 

to  give  the  coup  de  grftce,  they  had  the  satisfaction 
of  returning  to  harbour  with  the  knowledge  that 
their  honour  had  teen  retrieved,  and  yet  another 
German  submarine  would  never  again  commit 
outrage  on  the  high  seas. 


219 


CHAPTER  XVIII 
THE  CASUALTY 

THERE  were  duties  performed  by  the  new  navy 
which  bore  no  relationship  to  anti-submarine 
fighting,  or,  in  fact,  to  warfare  at  all,  unless  it  was 
to  the  ceaseless  battle  waged  between  all  who  go 
down  to  the  sea  in  ships  and  the  elements  they  seek 
to  master. 

One  such  as  this  occurred  at  a  little  northern  sea- 
port in  the  late  winter  of  1917,  unimportant  and 
scarcely  worth  relating  except  as  an  illustration  of 
the  diverse  services  rendered  by  men  of  this  great 
force  during  the  years  of  national  peril. 

The  gale  was  at  the  height  of  its  fury  when  the 
March  day  drew  to  a  close.  The  whole  east  coast 
of  Scotland,  from  John  o'  Groats  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Tweed,  was  a  study  in  black  and  white— the 
white  of  foam  and  the  black  of  rocks.  All  the 
minesweepers  and  smaller  patrol  ships  had  been 
confined  to  their  respective  bases  for  several  days, 
and  in  a  certain  small  harbour  many  of  the  officers 
and  crews  of  the  imprisoned  ships  were  spending 
their  time  ashore,  in  the  warmth  and  cheery  com- 
fort of  hospitable  firesides. 

The  boisterous  day  became  a  wild  night.  The 
wind  howled  and  whistled  over  the  barren  moors 

220 


The  Casualty 

and  through  the  streets  of  the  small  fishing  town. 
Houses  trembled  and  chimneys  rocked  under  the 
blasts.  Although  a  watch  on  the  signal  tower  and 
elsewhere  was  religiously  maintained,  it  was  of 
little  value,  as  all  that  could  be  seen  in  the  darkness 
to  seawards  was  a  hazy  mist  of  flying  spray  which 
the  wind  whisked  from  the  surface  and  carried 
several  miles  inland. 

Standing  back  from  the  sea,  and  some  half-mile 
from  the  centre  of  the  little  fishing  town,  stood  a 
substantially  built  house,  more  commodious  and 
better  furnished  than  many  of  its  neighbours, 
which  had  providentially  fallen  into  the  temporary 
grasp  of  one  of  the  married  officers  of  the  patrol 
flotilla,  who  generously  kept  open  house  for  his 
less  fortunate  brothers-in-arms. 

On  this  wild  winter  night  the  interior  looked 
excessively  cosy  and  inviting.  Before  a  big  blaz- 
ing fire  of  logs  sat  three  officers,  talking  between 
copious  sips  of  whisky  and  soda.  Their  conversa- 
tion was  subdued  and  their  inhalations  of  cigar 
smoke  long.  By  their  side  were  the  faithful 
women  who  had  followed  them  from  the  comforts 
of  home  and  the  gaieties  of  the  great  southern 
cities  to  this  remote  corner  of  northern  Scotland. 
They  too  were  talking  among  themselves  and 
knitting  for  the  crews  of  their  husbands'  ships. 

This  quiet  domestic  scene  would  have  gone  on 
uninterruptedly  until  a  late  hour,  for  it  wras  seldom 
that  such  precious  moments  of  rest  and  content- 
ment could  be  snatched  amid  the  ever-recurring 
duties  and  the  turmoil  of  war,  had  it  not  been  for 

221 


The  Casualty 

one  of  the  officers  who  glanced  ruefully  at  his 
wrist  watch  and  then  apologetically  informed  his 
host  that  it  was  his  turn  for  night  duty  on  the 
signal  tower. 

Scarcely  had  he  risen  from  the  fire  and  moved 
towards  the  door  of  the  room,  however,  before  the 
dull  boom  of  a  gun  was  borne  on  the  howling  wind. 
All  stood  still  and  listened.  The  women  ceased 
their  knitting  and  looked  up  apprehensively. 
Then  a  minute  or  so  later  the  boom  came  again, 
this  time  in  a  lull  of  the  storm,  and  it  sounded 
nearer. 

The  three  officers  hurried  into  the  hall  to  get 
on  oilskins  and  sea-boots,  but  almost  before  this 
could  be  done  there  came  a  report  which  echoed 
sharply  through  the  little  town.  They  knew  the 
sound  only  too  well,  for  the  coast  was  a  dangerous 
one.  It  was  the  reply  of  the  life-boat  crew  to  the 
call  of  distress,  and  with  one  accord  they  moved 
towards  the  door.  Almost  instantly  it  was  thrown 
violently  open  and  the  rush  of  wind  and  rain  ex- 
tinguished the  hall  light.  For  the  next  few  minutes 
they  were  struggling  against  the  gale,  battling  their 
way  to  the  lofty  little  signal  station,  impeded  in 
every  movement  by  driving  rain,  flying  scud,  in- 
tense blackness  and  flapping  oilskins. 

When  they  had  reached  the  coast  and  mounted 
the  rough  stone  steps  leading  to  the  elevated  look- 
out tower,  a  clear  sweep  of  the  dark,  foam-crested 
surface  was  obtained,  and  the  news  was  shouted 
above  the  roar  of  the  gale  that  somewhere  out  in 
the  night,  amid  the  tormented  waters,  a  ship  was 

222 


The  Casualty 

in  distress,  though  the  flying  spray  made  it  im- 
possible to  locate  the  exact  direction. 

Below  the  signal  tower,  and  built  on  a  mass  of 
rock  projecting  into  the  half-sheltered  water  inside 
the  concrete  pier,  was  the  life-boat  house.  From 
this  point  the  white  rays  of  a  chemical  flare  lighted 
up  the  surface  of  the  sea  as  far  as  the  harbour  bar, 
which,  with  its  flanking  rocks,  resembled  a  seething 
cauldron.  Into  this  the  life-boat  plunged  from 
its  inclined  slipway,  and  was  almost  instantly 
swallowed  up  in  the  outer  ring  of  darkness  and 
spray.  The  flare  died  out  suddenly  and  the  night 
seemed  even  blacker  than  before. 

After  a  brief  struggle  with  the  wind,  now  blowing 
at  a  speed  of  over  seventy  miles  an  hour,  the  men 
who  had  assembled  around  the  signal  station  made 
their  way  out  on  to  the  spray-swept  breakwater, 
and  there  waited  for  the  coloured  rocket  from  the 
life-boat  which  would  signify  that  she  had  found 
the  wreck. 

Nearly  an  hour  passed  but  no  sign  came  from 
the  darkness  and  boiling  sea.  Then  a  light  ap- 
peared momentarily  on  the  harbour  bar  and  was 
lost  in  the  smother  of  white.  A  few  minutes  later 
a  grinding  crash  came  from  the  rocks  less  than  a 
hundred  yards  distant  from  the  end  of  the  break- 
water. 

The  groups  of  sailors  standing  under  the  lee  of 
i  the  wall,  chafing  at  their  apparent  helplessness 
ijand  gazing  anxiously  out  to  sea,  were  suddenly 
ji  electrified  into  action  by  a  few  sharp  orders  from 
1'the  oilskinned  commander.  A  minute  or  two  of 

223 


The  Casualty 

seemingly  inextricable  confusion  resulted  in  the 
beams  of  a  portable  searchlight  flashing  out  from 
the  spray-swept  breakwater  and  lighting  up  rocks, 
foam,  and  a  big  three-masted  Norwegian  sailing 
ship,  with  sails  torn,  her  fore-mast  broken  off  short 
and  every  sea  lifting  high  her  stern  and  driving 
her  farther  on  to  the  half -hidden  tongues  of  stone. 
Even  as  the  light  played  on  her  she  heeled  over 
to  starboard  at  an  angle  of  about  forty-five  degrees 
with  an  ominous  rending  of  timbers  which  sounded 
above  the  roar  of  wind  and  surf. 

Orders  were  bellowed  through  a  megaphone,  and 
again  men  moved  quickly  in  all  directions.  This 
time  a  fiery  rocket,  bearing  a  life-line,  soared  from 
its  tube  with  a  loud  hiss  and  sped  across  the 
hundred  yards  of  boiling  sea.  It  straddled  the 
wreck.  The  thin  line  it  carried  was  soon  exchanged 
for  a  stout  hawser — hauled  from  the  breakwater — 
and  this  was  made  fast  to  the  stump  of  the  main- 
mast, which  had  followed  the  other  "  sticks " 
overboard  when  the  vessel  heeled  over  on  the  rocks. 
It  was  now  floating,  wrestling  and  tugging  at  the 
mass  of  confused  rigging,  and  pounding  dangerously 
at  the  ship's  side. 

One  by  one  the  unfortunate  Norse  crew  were 
hauled  over  the  harbour  bar  in  the  breeches-buoy 
by  fifty  willing  British  sailors,  and  the  first  to  come 
was  the  captain's  wife  and  little  daughter. 

There  was  but  one  casualty,  and  that  among 
the  rescuers.  The  stretcher  was  lifted  trom  the 
ambulance  at  the  door  of  the  substantially  built 
house  standing  back  from  the  little  town.  A 

224 


The  Casualty 

white-faced  woman  ran  out  into  the  storm.  She 
had  spent  a  year  of  nights  and  days  half  expecting 
such  as  this,  and  now  that  it  had  come  the  blood 
seemed  to  ebb  from  her  body,  and  at  first  she 
scarcely  heard  a  familiar  voice  assuring  her  that 
it  was  only  a  cut  on  the  head  from  a  broken  wire 
rope. 


225 


CHAPTER  XIX 
HOW  H.M.  TRAWLER  NO.  6  LOST  HER  REFIT 

AN  earlier  chapter  described  the  periodical  over- 
hauls necessary  to  keep  the  ships  of  the  hard- 
worked  auxiliary  navy  in  proper  fighting  condition. 
These  "  refits  "  were  needed  not  only  by  the  ships 
but  also  by  the  men  who  worked  them.  They 
came  about  once  a  year  and  lasted  for  two  or  three 
weeks,  during  which  time  the  crews  were  able  to 
go  home  for  at  least  a  few  days  of  much-needed 
rest. 

To  describe  how  everyone,  from  commander  to 
signal-boy,  looked  forward  to  these  spells  of  leave 
is  unnecessary.  Let  the  reader  imagine  how  he 
himself  would  feel  after  nine  or  ten  months  of  the 
monotony  and  danger,  to  say  nothing  of  the  hard- 
ships, of  life  at  sea  in  time  of  war. 

There  was,  however,  another  consideration,  one 
seldom  referred  to  but  nevertheless  unavoidably 
present  in  the  minds  of  all.  Each  time  a  refit 
came  round  there  were  ships  which  would  never 
be  docked  again,  and  comrades  who  had  missed 
their  leave.  Men  told  themselves  that  the  luck 
they  had  enjoyed  for  so  long  could  not  last,  and 
it  is  about  one  of  these,  in  a  fight  against 
overwhelming  odds,  that  the  following  story 
deals. 

226 


How  H.M.  Trawler  No.  6  Lost  Her  Refit 

Three  of  his  Majesty's  armed  trawlers  were 
plunging  through  the  sea  on  their  lonely  beat  in 
the  Western  Ocean.  The  Hebrides  lay  far  to  the 
southward,  and  less  than  two  days'  steam  ahead 
lay  the  Arctic  Circle.  These  cheerless  surround- 
ings, however,  found  no  echo  in  the  hearts  of  the 
watch  below  on  the  leading  ship  of  the  unit,  who 
were  lounging  on  the  settees  in  the  oil-smelling 
foVsle  discussing  their  prospects  of  long  leave, 
for  their  ship  was  to  "  blow-down  "  for  a  thorough 
refit  when  they  returned  to  harbour  in  less  than 
three  weeks'  time. 

On  the  deck  of  the  same  vessel  two  officers,  stand- 
ing in  the  shelter  of  the  wheel-house,  were  sweating 
and  shivering  in  patches,  but  also  happy  with  the 
thought  of  the  forthcoming  reunion  with  their 
families  and  the  brief  enjoyment  of  the  comforts 
of  home  after  seven  long  winter  months'  wandering, 
with  soul-destroying  monotony,  over  the  wind- 
swept wastes  of  England's  frontier.  The  watch 
on  deck,  with  the  exception  of  the  helmsman  and 
look-out,  crouched  under  the  lee  of  the  iron  super- 
structure, alternately  swinging  their  arms  and 
stamping  their  heavily  booted  feet,  but  they  too 
were  mentally  impervious  to  the  dismal  sur- 
roundings. 

Of  the  second  ship  in  the  line  the  same  cheery 
story  cannot  be  told.  She  was  jealous  of  the  first. 
It  would  be  another  two  months  at  least  before  she 
would  go  in  dock  for  refit ;  and  among  the  watch 
below  there  were  three  new  hands  on  their  first 
voyage,  two  of  whom  would,  just  then,  have  pre- 
227 


How  H.M.  Trawler  No.  6  Lost  Her  Refit 

ferred  the  peace  and  stillness  of  the  sea  bottom  to 
the  friskiness  of  the  surface. 

The  third  trawler  was  a  happy  little  ship,  for 
although  the  junior  of  the  unit  she  had  been  very 
fortunate  in  securing  a  "  Fritz  "  all  to  her  own 
cheek  less  than  three  months  before. 

This,  then,  was  one  of  the  units  on  the  Outer 
Hebrides  and  Iceland  patrol  during  the  winter  of 
1915,  and  they  seemed  to  be  the  sole  occupants  of 
the  leagues  of  water  around. 

It  was  barely  eleven  o'clock,  Greenwich  time, 
when  they  reached  the  last  ten  miles  of  their  beat, 
and  speed  was  reduced  so  that  they  would  not  have 
to  turn  about  and  begin  steaming  back  over  the 
course  they  had  come  until  the  morning  watch 
went  below  at  midday.  This  was  an  artful  though 
harmless  arrangement  to  enable  those  going  off 
duty  to  have  a  meal  and  at  least  an  hour's  rest  in 
peace,  as  on  the  voyage  back  both  wind  and  sea 
would  be  astern  and  the  vicious  lurching  of  the 
small  ship  reduced  to  a  minimum. 

The  time  passed  slowly,  as  it  generally  did  on 
patrol  when  nothing  exciting  was  afoot,  but  a  few 
minutes  before  the  awaited  eight  bells  the  officer 
on  duty  snatched  up  the  binoculars,  and  almost 
simultaneously  the  look-out  gave  a  warning  shout 
which  caused  the  attention  of  everyone  on  deck  to 
suddenly  become  strained. 

Away  to  port,  less  than  half-a-mile  distant,  the 
thin  grey  tube  of  a  periscope  could  be  seen  planing 
through  the  waves,  with  a  fringe  of  white  foam 
blowing  from  its  base.  There  was  a  hoarse  cry 

228 


How  H.M.  Trawler  No.  6  Lost  Her  Refit 

down  the  fo'c'sle  hatch  for  "All  hands  on  deck ! " 
The  telegraph  tinkled  for  "  Full  ahead !  "  A  signal 
was  made  to  the  ships  astern  for  concerted  action. 
The  gun  was  manned,  and  the  leading  trawler, 
now  cleared  for  action,  headed  towards  her  under- 
water opponent. 

The  other  two  vessels  of  the  unit  put  on  speed 
and  spread  out  until  all  three  were  line -abreast 
and  about  two  cables  apart.  In  this  formation  the 
chase  was  maintained  for  some  twenty  minutes, 
when  a  second  submarine  appeared  above  the 
surface  away  to  starboard.  She  appeared  to  be  a 
large  vessel  and  would  probably  have  turned  the 
scale  at  1000  tons. 

It  was  at  this  early  stage  in  the  action  that  the 
mistake  was  made.  The  leading  trawler  immedi- 
ately opened  fire,  but  the  range  was  considerable 
and  the  shells  fell  short.  Signalling  to  the  other 
two  trawlers  to  continue  the  chase  of  the  first 
submarine  sighted,  she  headed  straight  for  the 
largest  of  the  two  hostile  craft  to  engage  her  at 
close  range. 

While  this  was  in  progress  the  first  submarine 
came  to  the  surface  and  proved  to  be  also  a  larger 
craft  than  had  been  anticipated.  The  two  trawlers 
chasing  her  immediately  opened  fire,  but  her 
superior  surface  speed  soon  placed  her  out  of  range 
of  the  comparatively  small  guns  then  carried  by 
the  trawler  patrols. 

Now  came  the  surprise.  Almost  simultaneously 
the  two  submarines  opened  fire  from  heavy  guns. 
The  shells  at  first  fell  wide,  but  in  a  moment  the 

229 


How  H.M.  Trawler  No.  6  Lost  Her  Refit 

British  officers  realised  that  they  were  outranged, 
for  whereas  their  shells  were  falling  short,  those 
from  the  enemy  whistled  over  their  heads  and 
ploughed  up  columns  of  white  water  over  a  cable's 
length  astern. 

To  increase  speed  and  so  reduce  the  range  became 
imperative,  and  the  steam-pressure  in  the  trawlers' 
boilers  was  raised  to  bursting  point  by  the  simple 
expedient  of  screwing  down  the  safety  valve. 
For  some  minutes  it  looked  as  though  the  effort 
would  be  successful,  and  then  the  range  slowly 
increased  again  and  "short"  after  "short"  was 
registered  by  the  gunners. 

At  this  psychological  moment  a  German  shell 
carried  away  the  funnel  of  the  leading  trawler 
and  smothered  her  decks  with  smoke.  When  a 
temporary  shield  had  been  rigged  it  was  observed 
that  one  of  the  other  patrol  ships  had  been  crippled 
by  a  direct  hit  and  was  in  a  sinking  condition. 

It  now  became  evident  that  the  superior  speed 
and  gun-power  of  the  submarines  enabled  them  to 
keep  out  of  range  of  the  trawlers'  weapons  and  to 
ply  their  long-range  fire  with  telling  effect. 

The  officer  in  command  of  the  patrol  at  once 
realised  the  mistake  he  had  made  when  opening 
the  action,  in  betraying  the  power  of  his  own  guns 
before  he  was  sufficiently  close  to  the  enemy  to 
ensure  hits,  and  he  cursed  this  want  of  foresight 
which  looked  like  costing  the  life  of  the  flotilla. 
Given  one  direct  hit  on  each  of  his  two  powerful 
opponents  and  they  would  in  all  probability  have 
been  put  out  of  action,  but  instead  he  had  only  the 

230 


How  H.M.  Trawler  No.  6  Lost  Her  Refit 

mortification  of  seeing  every  shell  fired  fall  short, 
while  his  own  vessels  were  being  battered  to  pieces 
by  the  long-range  guns  of  an  enemy  with  whom  he 
could  not  close. 

The  withholding  of  fire  while  hostile  shells  are 
bursting  around  is  one  of  the  many  severe  strains 
imposed  on  the  human  mind  by  modern  war,  and 
in  anti-submarine  tactics  it  often  means  the  differ- 
ence between  victory  and  defeat,  which,  followed 
to  its  logical  conclusion,  is  generally  life  or  death. 

One  hope  now  remained — that  by  skilful  manoeuv- 
ring the  trawlers  could  be  kept  afloat  until  help 
arrived  ;  but  in  those  wastes  of  sea  no  vessel  might 
pass  for  many  hours,  and  even  then  not  a  warship. 

Such  is  the  working  of  Fate  :  the  leading  trawler 
of  the  unit  was  to  have  been  fitted  with  wireless 
while  under  the  approaching  refit,  and  with  its 
aid  patrol  cruisers  or  fast  destroyers  could  soon 
have  been  brought  to  the  scene  of  operations. 

Thirty  minutes  later  the  crippled  ship,  the  junior 
member,  gave  three  defiant  shrieks  with  her  syren 
and  slid  under  the  surface  with  her  colours  flying. 
For  over  two  hours  the  others  manoeuvred  to  get 
one  on  each  side  of  the  submarines  to  enable  them 
to  get  the  few  shells  remaining  in  their  magazines 
home  on  the  target,  but  so  great  was  the  disparity 
of  both  range  and  speed  that  at  five  in  the  evening 
nearly  halt  their  crews  were  dead  or  wounded,  and 
a  little  while  later  the  ice-cold  water  closed  over 
the  leading  ship.  Still  the  other  fought  on,  but  as 
dusk  closed  over  the  sea  she  too  went  down  in  this 
obscure  fight. 

231 


How  H.M.  Trawler  No.  6  Lost  Her  Refit 

No  search  for  possible  survivors  was  made  by 
the  submarines,  which  glided  westwards  into  the 
smoky  red  afterglow,  leaving  the  bitter  cold  to 
finish  the  work  of  death. 

A  big  armed  liner  of  the  Tenth  Cruiser  Squadron 
had  heard  the  distant  firing  and  came  upon  the 
scene  just  before  darkness  finally  closed  over. 
Four  bodies  were  still  lashed  to  a  raft,  but  in  all 
except  one  life  was  extinct. 

When  the  doctors  bent  over  the  half-frozen  form 
in  which  a  flicker  still  lingered  they  shook  their 
heads.  Death  waged  a  stern  battle  even  for  this 
last  relic,  but  life  triumphed,  and  when  the  agony 
of  returning  animation  had  ceased  the  sole  survivor 
told  the  cruiser's  mess  how  Trawler  No.  i  had  lost 
her  refit. 


2^2 


CHAPTER  XX 
THE  RAIDER 

EVERYONE  familiar  with  English  history  knows 
that  it  was  a  severe  gale  which  destroyed  the 
scattered  and  defeated  units  of  the  Spanish 
Armada  in  1588,  and  that,  in  more  modern  times, 
it  was  the  coming  of  darkness  which  prevented 
the  British  Grand  Fleet  from  turning  the  victory 
of  Jutland  into  a  decisive  rout.  Such  historical 
examples  of  the  effect  of  the  weather,  and  even 
ordinary  climatic  changes,  on  the  course  of  naval 
operations  could  be  multiplied  almost  indefinitely. 
Not  only  are  the  movements  of  the  barometer 
important  factors  to  be  considered  in  the  major 
operations  of  naval  war  but  also  in  minor  sea 
fights. 

Comparatively  few  people  are,  however,  aware 
that  one  of  the  largest  and  most  destructive  of 
German  mine-fields  was  laid  off  the  British  coast 
during  the  Great  War  by  a  surface  ship  which 
escaped  detection  through  darkness  and  storm. 

The  barometer  had  fallen  rapidly,  and  clouds 
rolled  up  from  the  north-west  in  ragged  grey  banks 
which  scudded  ominously  over  a  cold  steely  blue 
sky.  For  some  days  the  sea  had  been  moderately 
calm,  but  it  was  mid-winter  and  quiescence  of  the 

233 


The  Raider 

elements  could  not  be  expected  to  last.  Slowly 
the  face  of  the  Atlantic  grew  lined  with  white.  It 
began  with  a  moaning  wind  which  'soon  developed 
into  a  stiff  gale,  accompanied  by  heavy  storms  of 
sleet  and  snow. 

One  of  his  Majesty's  ships  coming  up  the  west 
coast  of  Ireland  found  herself  heading  into  the 
teeth  of  the  gale.  As  the  afternoon  wore  on  the 
wind  increased  in  violence  and  the  ship  rolled  and 
plunged  heavily,  smothering  herself  in  clouds  of 
flying  spume.  The  driving  sleet  made  it  difficult 
to  see  more  than  a  cable's  length  in  any  direction, 
and  when  dusk  closed  over  the  storm-swept  ocean 
the  ship  was  headed  for  a  sheltered  stretch  of  water 
close  inshore. 

Every  stay  and  shroud  whistled  its  own  tune  as 
the  gale  roared  past.  Foam-crested  waves  hurled 
themselves  in  a  white  fury  against  the  plunging, 
dripping  sides,  piling  up  on  the  port  bow  and  racing 
aft  in  cataracts  of  water  which  threatened  instant 
death  to  any  luckless  sailor  caught  in  their  embrace. 
The  lashings  on  the  movable  furniture  of  the  decks, 
although  of  stout  rope,  were  snapped  like  spun- 
yarn,  and  much-prized,  newly  painted  ventilators, 
boat-covers,  fenders,  deck-rails  and  other  necessary 
adornments  were  swept  overboard  by  the  ugly 
rushes  of  green  sea.  The  iron  superstructure  and 
bridge -supports  resounded  to  the  heavy  blows  of 
the  water,  and  the  ship  trembled  as  she  rose  after 
each  ghastly  plunge. 

The  blasts  of  wind  which  struck  the  vessel  with 
increasing  violence  had  swept  unimpeded  over 

234 


The  Raider 

5000  miles  of  ocean  and  carried  in  their  breath 
the  edge  of  the  Arctic  frost.  The  sleet  felt  warm 
compared  with  it,  and  the  flying  spray  lost  its 
sting. 

The  forty-eight  sea  miles  lying  between  the  ship 
and  the  sheltered  strait  seemed  endless  leagues, 
for  the  speed  had  to  be  considerably  reduced  to 
avoid  serious  damage  from  Neptune's  guns.  The 
minutes  of  twilight  grew  rapidly  less,  and  with 
the  coming  of  darkness  a  new  danger  threatened. 
The  ship  was  approaching  a  rock-strewn  coast  with 
no  friendly  lights  to  guide  her,  and  every  now  and 
then  lofty  masses  of  black  stone  rose  up,  dimly, 
from  their  beds  of  foam.  It  was  an  anxious  half- 
hour,  and  ears  were  strained  for  the  warning 
thunder  from  surf-beaten  rocks  which  sounded  at 
intervals  even  above  the  roar  of  the  gale. 

Fortunately  the  entrance  to  the  sheltered  water- 
way was  broad,  and  almost  before  it  could  be 
realised  the  sea  grew  calm.  Although  the  wind 
still  shrieked  and  moaned,  the  waves  rose  barely 
three  feet  high.  Great  cliffs,  invisible  in  the  dark- 
ness and  driving  sleet,  protected  the  strait,  and  as 
the  vessel  picked  her  way  to  a  safe  anchorage  closer 
under  the  lee  of  the  land  the  wind  lost  its  giant 
strength  and  the  howling  receded  into  the  upper 
air. 

Throughout  the  night  the  comparatively  small 
warship  rode  safely  at  anchor,  innocent  of  what 
was  taking  place  out  in  the  blackness  and  the  storm. 
When  morning  broke  the  gale  had  lost  some  of  its 
force,  and  streams  of  pale  watery  sunlight  shone 

235 


The  Raider 

between  the  low-flying  clouds  on  to  a  boisterous 
sea. 

Running  before  the  wind  and  sea  the  German 
raider  Frederick,  carefully  disguised  and  loaded 
with  several  hundred  mines,  approached  the 
British  coast.  The  gale  was  increasing  in  force 
as  darkness  closed  down,  and  heavy  showers  of 
sleet  shielded  her  from  the  view  of  any  passing 
craft.  The  weather  was  ideal  for  her  dark  purpose, 
which  was  to  lay  a  mine-field  over  a  stretch  of  sea 
where  it  was  thought  the  Anglo-American  trade 
routes  converged. 

For  the  first  few  days  out  from  Wilhelmshaven 
the  weather  had  been  misty  with  heavy  snowfalls, 
conditions  enabling  the  mine-layer  (and  afterwards 
raider)  to  run  the  blockade  and  elude  the  network 
of  patrols,  not,  however,  without  some  very  close 
shaves.  On  one  occasion  a  large  auxiliary  cruiser 
passed  in  a  snow  squall,  and  during  subsequent 
movements  the  raider  found  herself  in  the  midst 
of  a  British  fishing  fleet,  but  passed  unrecognised 
in  the  darkness.  And  now  that  she  was  approach- 
ing the  British  coast,  and  the  scene  of  actual 
operations,  the  barometer  again  obliged  by  falling 
rapidly. 

It  was  a  wild  night  and  very  dark  when  the  first 
mine  splashed  overboard.  A  snowstorm  set  in, 
and  as  the  work  proceeded  heavy  seas  broke  over 
the  vessel,  smothering  her  with  spray,  but  she  was 
comparatively  a  large  ship,  built  for  ocean  trade. 
Although  the  darkness  and  the  snow  were  con- 

236 


The  Raider 

ditions  favourable  to  the  laying  of  mines  in  secret, 
and  without  their  aid  the  danger  of  discovery 
would  have  been  great,  the  rising  gale  and  the 
heavy  seas  rendered  the  work  both  difficult  and 
dangerous,  notwithstanding  that  these  deadly 
weapons  were  so  arranged  as  to  go  automatically 
overboard. 

Before  the  last  of  her  cargo  had  been  consigned 
to  the  deep  it  was  blowing  great  guns,  and  one 
sea  after  another  was  breaking  over  the  ship. 
Although  sheltered  waters  lay  less  than  fifty  miles 
distant,  to  proceed  there  would  mean  certain  dis- 
covery and  destruction,  so  all  through  that  wild 
night,  and  for  many  hours  afterwards,  the  raider 
sought  by  every  means  in  her  power  to  battle 
seawards,  away  from  the  coast  and  danger,  head- 
ing into  the  teeth  of  the  gale  and  out  on  to  the 
broad  bosom  of  the  North  Atlantic,  all  unknowing 
that  but  for  the  severity  of  the  storm  she  must 
have  been  observed,  probably  in  the  very  act  of 
laying  the  mine-field,  by  the  small  warship  riding 
out  the  north-wester  in  the  more  sheltered  waters 
close  inshore. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  it  was  on  this  mine- 
field a  few  days  later  that  one  of  the  largest  trans- 
atlantic liners  was  sunk. 


237 


CHAPTER  XXI 
THE  S.O.S. 

A  GREAT  work  of  rescue  was  carried  on  through- 
out the  war  on  all  the  seven  seas  by  vessels  of 
both  the  old  and  the  new  navy.  This  service  was 
rendered  to  ally,  neutral  and  enemy  alike,  but  no 
complete  record  of  the  gallant  deeds  performed  nor 
even  of  the  numbers  and  nationalities  of  those 
saved  will,  in  all  probability,  ever  be  available,  and 
none  is  needed,  for  it  was  a  duty  which  brought  its 
own  reward. 

Typical  of  the  way  succour  was  brought  by  the 
naval  patrols  to  those  unhappy  victims  of  both 
sexes  left  adrift  in  open  boats  in  calm  and  rough, 
sunshine  and  snow,  all  over  the  northern  seas  by 
the  cowardly  Unterseeboten  of  the  kultured  race 
was  the  rescue  of  the  passengers  and  crew  of  a  liner 
off  the  wild  west  coast  of  Ireland  in  the  winter  of 
1916. 

It  was  mid-December,  and  flurries  of  snow  were 
being  driven  before  a  stinging  north-westerly  wind. 
The  sea  was  moderate,  but  the  heavy  Atlantic 
swell  caused  the  lonely  patrol  ship  to  sink  slug- 
gishly into  the  watery  hollows,  with  only  her 
aerials  showing  above  the  surrounding  slopes  of 
grey-green  sea,  and  a  minute  or  so  later  to  be 

238 


The  S.O.S. 

poised  giddily  on  the  bosoms  of  acre-wide  rollers 
with  nothing  but  the  white  mists  obscuring  the 
broad  horizon. 

It  was  a  wild  wintry  scene,  pregnant  with  cold 
and  hardship.  The  officer  who  had  just  come  up 
from  the  warmth  of  the  wardroom  to  relieve  his 
"  opposite  number "  on  the  bridge  pulled  the 
thick  wool  muffler  closer  round  his  neck  and  dug 
mittened  hands  deep  into  the  pockets  of  his  duffel 
coat. 

In  the  Marconi  cabin,  situated  on  the  deck  of 
the  sloop,  a  young  operator  was  sitting  with  the 
receiving  instrument  fixed  to  his  head  and  the 
clean  and  bright  apparatus  all  around.  He  was 
city  born  and  bred,  and  felt  keenly  the  monotony 
of  life  at  sea,  although  to  him  came  the  many  in- 
teresting wireless  signals  from  the  vast  network  of 
patrols  which  covered  the  Western  Ocean— linking 
the  sea-divided  units  into  a  more  or  less  homo- 
geneous fleet. 

Presently  a  message  began  to  spell  itself  in 
Morse.  Taking  a  pencil,  the  operator  scribbled 
various  hieroglyphics  on  the  naval  signal  paper 
lying  on  the  desk  in  front  of  him  ;  then  after  a 
pause  of  a  few  seconds  he  pulled  forward  a  tiny 
lever  and  began  a  rhythmic  tap  on  an  ebonite 
key. 

It  was  the  "  S.O.S/'  call  and  the  reply  that  had 
flashed  through  the  ether.  A  minute  or  so  later 
the  written  signal,  giving  the  appeal  for  help  and 
the  position  and  name  of  the  torpedoed  liner,  was 
handed  to  the  commander.  A  glance  at  the  chart 

239 


The  S.CXS. 

told  that  young  but  experienced  officer  that  he 
could  not  hope  to  bring  his  ship  to  the  scene  of  the 
disaster  before  dusk  closed  down,  and  a  message 
was  sparked  across  the  eighty  miles  of  intervening 
sea  asking  how  long  the  crippled  ship  could  be 
kept  afloat. 

To  this,  however,  there  came  no  reply,  and  the 
engines  of  the  sloop  were  put  to  full  speed  ahead. 
A  heavy  spray  now  commenced  to  sweep  across 
the  deck  in  drenching  showers,  and  the  snow  haze 
thickened.  The  pitching  of  the  ship  increased  as 
she  raced  over  the  ocean  swell,  driving  her  sharp 
bows  deep  into  the  masses  of  sea.  The  limbs  of 
the  watch  grew  stiff  and  numb,  and  a  fine  coating 
of  wet  salt  stung  their  faces.  Eyes  ached  irom 
gazing  into  the  bitter  wind,  and  for  over  four  hours 
the  race  against  approaching  night  continued.  If 
darkness  closed  down  before  that  eighty  miles  of 
sea  was  covered  all  on  board  realised  that  the 
chances  of  finding  any  survivors  would  be  greatly 
diminished.  Even  the  strongest  vitality  could  not 
long  resist  exposure  to  the  intense  cold,  and  there 
might  be  women  and  children  in  the  sea  ahead. 

Many  of  the  officers  and  crew  of  the  sloop  had 
experienced  the  agonies  of  cold,  wounds  and  salt 
water  when  cast  adrift  on  wintry  seas,  and  the 
memory  acted  like  a  whip.  As  the  hours  went  by 
the  greenish  tint  of  the  sea  slowly  turned  to  leaden- 
grey,  and  the  pure  white  of  the  driving  snow  con- 
trasted sharply  with  the  quickening  dusk  of  the 
December  night. 

It  was  in  the  last  half -hour  of  the  dog  watch  that 

240 


The  S.O.S. 

the  sloop  reached  the  scene  of  the  disaster  and  the 
speed  was  reduced.  Scattered  over  the  sea  around, 
and  floating  southwards  in  grim  procession,  was  a 
mass  of  wreckage — a  broken  raft,  a  number  of 
deck-chairs,  spars  and  cordage,  a  life-belt  and  some 
oars — but  of  boats  with  living  freights  there  was 
not  a  sign. 

Steaming  slowly  round  in  widening  circles,  the 
sloop  searched  while  the  light  lasted,  but  the 
whirling  haze  of  fine  snow  blotted  out  the  distance, 
and  soon  the  early  darkness  of  a  winter  night  settled 
over  the  sea.  The  cold  became  intense.  The 
white  beam  of  a  searchlight  now  flashed  out  over 
the  black  waters.  There  was  a  grave  risk  in  this 
betraying  light,  one  not  sanctioned  by  the  theory 
of  war.  It  made  the  warship  a  target  for  any 
hostile  submarine  lurking  around,  but  it  seemed 
impossible  to  believe  that  a  6000- ton  liner,  with 
probably  several  hundred  human  beings  on  board, 
could  have  been  so  completely  obliterated,  and 
to  the  commander  of  the  sloop  the  risk  seemed 
justified. 

Other  ships  might  have  intercepted  the  S.O.S. 
call  and  reached  the  scene  of  the  disaster  earlier, 
but  the  sloop's  wireless,  although  put  into  action, 
could  not  confirm  this,  and  so  the  search  was 
continued. 

On  and  off  during  the  bitter  night  the  white 
beam  of  light  flashed  out  through  the  snow.  For 
a  few  seconds  it  swept  the  sea  close  around 
and  was  then  shut  off.  In  the  pall-like  black- 
ness which  followed  ears  listened  intently,  but 
Q  241 


The  S.O.S. 

could  distinguish  nothing  except  the  lash  of 
the  sea. 

The  sound-deadening  qualities  of  falling  snow 
would  have  cut  short  the  range  of  any  cry,  for  the 
human  voice  at  its  strongest,  and  with  the  atmos- 
pheric conditions  favourable,  can  seldom  be  heard 
more  than  1000  yards  distant.  So  hour  after  hour 
of  numbing  cold  went  by  with  nothing  to  show 
except  the  occasional  pathway  of  light  on  the  gtfey 
slopes  of  sea  and  the  low  moaning  wind. 

The  snowing  ceased,  and  in  the  cold  stillness 
which  so  often  precedes  daybreak  in  the  north  a 
faint  cry  came  from  the  sea,  at  first  so  indistinct 
and  mingled  with  water  noises  that  it  would  never 
have  been  heard  at  all  if  the  engines  of  the  sloop 
had  not  been  shut  off,  as  they  had  been  at  frequent 
intervals  during  the  night,  to  enable  those  on 
board  to  listen.  The  cry  was  quickly  followed  by 
the  "  snore  "  of  a  boat's  fog-horn.  A  few  turns  of 
the  sloop's  propellers  and  in  the  grey  light  of  the 
December  dawn  a  large  ship's  life-boat  could  be 
dimly  seen,  away  to  starboard,  when  it  rose  on 
the  bosom  of  the  swell. 

Careful  manoeuvring  placed  the  warship  along- 
side the  boat-load  of  half-frozen  castaways  and 
the  work  of  rescue  commenced.  It  was  a  sad  task. 
Amongst  the  thirty-two  survivors  there  were  twelve 
women  and  children,  seven  of  whom  had  died  of 
cold  and  exposure  during  that  bitter  night.  One, 
a  young  Canadian  wife  coming  home  to  her 
wounded  soldier  husband,  had  been  crushed  by  the 
explosion  of  the  first  torpedo  and  suffered  agonies 

242 


The  S.O.S. 

in  the  open  boat  before  sinking  into  the  peace  of 
death. 

To  dwell  here  on  the  suffering  caused  by  intense 
cold,  exposure,  hunger,  thirst,  untended  wounds, 
and  the  mental  agony  of  suspense,  often  to  delicate 
women  and  children,  when  cast  adrift  on  the  open 
sea,  would  be  merely  to  repeat  what  has  so  often 
been  written,  and  which  will  live  for  ever  in  the 
memory  of  sailormen. 

When  the  survivors  had  all  been  lifted  on  board 
—and  many  had  suffered  badly  from  frost-bite  — 
the  search  for  two  other  life-boats  which  it  was 
learned  had  succeeded  in  getting  away  from  the 
wrecked  liner  was  commenced. 

Shortly  before  midday  the  snowing  began  again 
and  the  wind  moaned  dismally  through  the  rigging. 
Spurts  of  icy  spray  shot  upwards  from  the  bows 
and  were  blown  back  across  the  fore-deck  of  the 
ship,  searing  the  skin  of  the  tired  men  on  watch. 
For  several  hours  the  sea  around  was  searched  in 
vain.  Flurries  of  snow  obscured  everything  more 
than  a  few  hundred  yards  distant.  Then  towards 
four  bells  the  storm  passed  and  the  air  cleared  of 
its  white  fog,  but  nothing  was  visible  except  the 
wide  sweep  of  colourless  heaving  sea  and  leaden  sky. 

It  came  suddenly — an  indescribable  explosion 
with  a  violent  uprush  of  water,  followed  by  the 
hoarse  shouting  of  orders,  the  low  groans  of 
wounded  men  and  the  sharp  crack  of  cordite. 
The  bows  of  the  sloop  had  been  blown  off  by  a 
torpedo,  and  the  vessel  commenced  to  rapidly 
settle  down. 

243 


The  S.O.S. 

The  two  undamaged  boats  were  lowered  and  the 
survivors  from  the  liner  once  again  cast  adrift  to 
face  the  horrors  of  the  previous  night.  Rafts 
floated  free  with  all  that  were  left  of  the  crew  of 
the  sloop— two  officers  and  thirty  men.  Their 
condition  was  pitiable.  There  had  been  no  time 
to  get  either  food  or  extra  clothing,  and  so  heavily 
laden  were  the  light  structures  of  capuo  and  wood 
that  the  occupants  were  continually  awash. 

Barely  had  the  boats  and  rafts  got  clear  of  the 
ship  before  she  took  the  final  plunge,  going  down 
in  a  cloud  of  steam.  A  few  minutes  later  the  U-boat 
rose  to  the  surface  about  300  yards  distant,  and 
after  remaining  there  for  some  time,  without  making 
any  effort  to  render  assistance,  she  steamed  slowly 
away. 

The  boats  took  the  rafts  in  tow,  and  the  wounded, 
who  suffered  terribly  from  the  cold  and  the  salt 
water,  were  all  transferred  to  the  former.  One  of 
the  women  survivors  from  the  torpedoed  liner 
collapsed  during  the  first  hour,  and  although  given 
extra  clothing  cheerfully  discarded  by  the  men, 
she  died  soon  afterwards. 

Seas  washed  over  the  rafts  and  sent  clouds  of 
stinging  spray  into  the  crowded  life-boats.  A 
biting  frost  stiffened  the  wet  garments,  which 
rasped  the  raw  and  bleeding  wrists  of  the  men  who 
tugged  at  the  oars  —partly  to  increase  their  circu- 
lation and  partly  to  keep  the  boats  head-on  to  the 
sea.  The  only  hope  of  rescue  lay  in  keeping  afloat 
until  daylight,  when  the  "S.O.S."  call  sent  out 
before  the  sloop  foundered  might  bring  them  aid. 

244 


The  S.O.S. 

The  coast  of  Ireland  lay  300  miles  to  the  south- 
east, and  so  intense  was  the  cold  that  few  expected 
to  live  through  the  night. 

The  gloom  of  a  winter  afternoon  gave  place  to 
darkness,  and  with  the  fading  of  daylight  the  cold 
increased.  Men  became  numb  and  were  washed 
unnoticed  from  the  rafts.  Others  were  dragged 
unconscious  into  the  already  overcrowded  life- 
boats, which  sank  so  deep  in  the  water  with  the 
additional  weight  that  green  seas  now  splashed 
inboard  and  baling  became  necessary.  Limbs 
stiffened  in  the  sharp  frost  and  had  to  be  pounded 
back  to  life  by  unselfish  comrades.  Even  under 
cover  of  the  sails  the  cold  was  so  intense  that  only 
five  women  and  two  children  were  left  alive  by 
midnight. 

Through  the  long  dark  hours  men  struggled 
under  the  drenching  showers  of  bitter  spray. 
When  dawn  broke >  throwing  a  pale  mystic  light 
over  the  acre-wide  Atlantic  swell,  each  one  knew 
that  life  depended  on  the  coming  of  a  ship  before 
the  light  of  day  again  faded  in  the  west. 

The  snowing  had  ceased  some  hours  before  dark- 
ness lifted,  and  in  the  clear  morning  cold  men  stood 
up  painfully  and  searched  the  watery  horizon  for 
the  sign  which  would  bring  them  life.  Just  before 
three  bells,  as  the  boats  rose  on  the  bosom  of  the 
swell,  a  thin  blur  of  smoke  could  be  seen  low  down 
on  the  eastern  horizon.  Had  there  been  strength 
left  in  the  worn-out  bodies  there  would  have  been 
a  cheer,  but  now  only  a  slight  stir  of  suppressed 
excitement  and  many  a  silent  prayer. 

245 


The  S.O.S. 

The  limit  of  human  suffering  and  endurance  had, 
however,  not  yet  been  reached.  Some  twenty 
minutes  later  it  became  evident  that  the  ship  had 
not  received  the  wireless  call  and  was  passing  too 
far  off  to  be  reached  by  any  sound  signal  short  of  a 
big  gun.  Slowly  the  trail  of  smoke  disappeared  in 
the  haze  of  great  distance  without  even  a  glimpse 
of  the  ship  itself. 

The  spirits  of  all  began  to  sink  as  hour  after 
hour  went  by  without  sight  of  the  hoped-for  sail. 
Then,  about  eight  bells,  one  of  the  men  standing  up 
in  the  centre  of  the  first  officer's  boat  gave  a  little 
inarticulate  cry  and  some  few  minutes  later  the 
dim  outline  of  a  big  ship  hove  in  sight.  The  sus- 
pense was  unbearable.  Women  to  whom  any 
sign  of  religious  emotion  was  alien  knelt  openly 
and  prayed,  while  men  who  had  suffered  similarly 
before  gazed  fixedly  at  the  distant  object,  knowing 
how  fickle  is  Fortune  to  sailormen  in  distress.  But 
the  hull  grew  larger  and  hope  shone  on  the  faces 
of  all.  Men  pulled  frantically  at  the  oars,  while 
others  waved  pieces  of  sail  or  clothing  to  attract 
attention. 

Now  came  a  surprise.  From  the  pocket  of  his 
duffel  coat  the  first  officer  produced  what  he  had 
hitherto  kept  hidden  for  just  such  an  emergency 
— a  Very's  pistol,  with  its  small-sized  single  red 
rocket.  A  hoarse  cry  of  joy  went  up  from  all  in 
spite  of  their  exhaustion  when  they  saw  the  rocket 
soar  into  the  air  and  burst  into  a  blood-red  glow. 

A  short  time  later  keen  eyes  made  out  the  string 
of  flags  which  fluttered  from  the  halyards  of  the 

246 


The  S.O.S. 

oncoming  warship,  and  although  minutes  seemed 
like  hours,  none  could  quite  remember  what 
happened  after.  Some  say  that  the  cruiser  came 
alongside  them  and  others  that  she  lowered  her 
boats  and  steamed  round  in  a  circle.  But  forty- 
eight  survivors  were  landed  in  Liverpool  three 
days  later,  leaving  in  the  wastes  of  the  Western 
Ocean  a  murdered  two  hundred. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  survivors  from 
torpedoed  ships  frequently  showed  great  reluctance 
to  leave  their  life-boats  and  go  aboard  the  rescu- 
ing vessel,  especially  when  they  were  within  easy 
sailing  distance  of  a  harbour.  After  being  tor- 
pedoed, rescued  and  torpedoed  again  they  often 
preferred  the  comparative  safety  but  hardship  of 
the  small  open  boat  to  the  risk  and  luxury  of  the 
big  ship.  This  applied  more  especially  to  Scandi- 
navian sailors,  whose  powers  in  small  boats  are  well 
known. 

It  should,  however,  be  stated  that,  so  far  as 
British  and  American  seamen  were  concerned, 
men  sailed  again  and  again,  after  being  torpedoed 
or  mined  six,  seven  and  even  eight  times.  It 
was  this  remarkable  fortitude  of  the  Mercantile 
Marine  which  saved  Europe  from  starvation. 


247 


CHAPTER   XXII 
IN  THE  SHADOW  OF  A  BIG  SEA  FIGHT 

ON  the  evening  of  30th  May  1916  six  of  his  Majesty's 
drifters  were  lying  alongside  the  quay  of  a  Scottish 
naval  base  having  their  few  hours'  ''stand-off " 
after  weary  days  patrolling  lines  of  submerged 
nets.  Their  officers  and  crews,  with  the  exception 
of  one  sad-faced  company  on  guard  duty,  were 
enjoying  either  the  comparative  luxury  of  a 
corrugated-iron  wardroom,  situated  on  a  windy 
stone  pier,  or  a  few  the  more  complete  relaxation 
of  a  brief  visit  to  a  theatre  in  a  neighbouring  town. 
There  were  also  many  other  ships  coaling,  resting 
and  being  repaired,  for  the  base  was  a  large  and 
important  one. 

In  the  intelligence  office  an  assistant  paymaster, 
weary  of  decoding  cypher  wireless  messages  from 
flotillas,  patrols  and  sweepers  spread  far  out  over 
the  leagues  of  sea  lying  between  this  port  and  the 
German  coast,  sat  talking  to  the  executive  officer 
on  night  duty. 

About  8  P.M.  a  messenger  from  the  wireless  cabin 
entered  with  the  familiar  signal  form  and  the  A.  P. 
spread  it  out  carelessly  on  the  desk  in  front  of  him, 
taking  the  sturdy  little  lead-covered  decipher 
book  from  the  safe  at  his  side.  A  few  scratches  of 
the  pen  beneath  the  secret  signal  and  the  decipher  - 

248 


In  the  Shadow  of  a  Big  Sea  Fight 

ing  was  complete.  He  looked  up  quickly  and 
with  a  gesture  of  keen  satisfaction  handed  the 
signal  to  the  officer  temporarily  in  command  of 
the  base. 

The  older  man  read  it  and  paused  for  a  moment 
before  replying.  It  was  the  brief  and  now  historic 
statement  that  an  action  between  Sir  David 
Beatty's  battle  cruisers  and  the  German  High  Seas 
Fleet  was  imminent.  A  crowd  of  orders  to  be 
executed  in  the  event  of  all  kinds  of  emergencies 
were  rapidly  reviewed  in  his  active  brain.  For  a 
brief  space  the  scene  of  what  was  occurring  out 
in  the  blackness  of  the  North  Sea  occupied  his 
thoughts,  for  he  had  fought  in  the  battle  of  the 
Dogger  Bank  and  knew  what  those  brief  words 
really  meant.  It  was  the  evening  of  the  battle  of 
Jutland. 

Rising  quickly  +o  his  feet,  the  night  duty  officer 
seized  the  telephone,  rang  up  the  Admiral  Com- 
manding, who  had  gone  home  to  dinner,  and 
hurriedly  left  the  intelligence  office  to  carry  out 
a  host  of  prearranged  orders. 

The  "  old  man,"  as  admirals  are  invariably 
called,  was  evidently  ready  for  the  emergency,  for 
his  large  grey  car  tore  past  the  sentries  at  the 
approaches  to  the  base,  and  in  a  few  minutes  he 
was  closeted  with  his  commanders  and  other 
officers  in  the  small  matchboarded  cabin. 
Charts  were  pinned  down  on  the  table  in  front 
of  him,  and  for  the  next  half-hour  officers  and 
messengers  were  kept  busy  with  telephones  and 
other  means  of  rapid  concentration. 

249 


In  the  Shadow  of  a  Big  Sea  Fight 

In  the  neighbouring  large  town  the  police  had 
received  ,the  order  for  a  "  general  naval  recall  " 
and  were  active  in  the  streets  politely  informing 
officers  and  men  on  short  leave  that  their  services 
were  required  immediately  at  the  bases.  In  the 
theatres  and  cinema  halls  the  cryptic  message, 
"  All  naval  officers  and  men  to  return  at  once  to 
their  ships/'  was  given  out  from  the  stage  or 
thrown  on  the  screen,  a  replica  of  the  night  before 
Waterloo. 

Men  wondered  and  women  grew  anxious.  Did 
it  mean  an  invasion  or  an  air  raid  ?  Many  were 
the  questions  asked  as  silently  seats  were  left  and 
files  of  blue  and  gold  streamed  out  of  the  places  of 
amusement.  Taxi-cabs  full  of  officers  raced  each 
other  along  the  streets.  Civilians  had  to  give  place 
to  sailors  on  the  tram-cars,  and  then,  in  less  than 
thirty  minutes,  all  was  quiet  again,  except  for 
groups  of  people  discussing  possibilities  in  front  of 
the  big  public  buildings.  Even  these  soon  dis- 
persed when  reassuring  messages  were  circulated 
which  hinted  at  the  reason  for  the  recall,  and  the 
level-headed  Scottish  citizens  went  home  wonder- 
ing what  the  great  news  would  be  on  the  morrow 
— for  the  fate  of  empires  might  be  decided  during 
the  night. 

As  each  officer  and  man  entered  the  base  the 
gates  were  closed.  The  sentries  and  the  officer  of 
the  guard  knew  nothing  ''officially/'  but  in  the 
wardroom  at  the  end  of  the  stone  quay  the  news 
of  the  action  was  being  discussed  in  imaginative 
detail.  At  n  P.M.  orders  were  received  for  certain 

250 


In  the  Shadow  of  a  Big  Sea  Fight 

small  ships  to  get  under  way  with  sealed  orders. 
An  hour  later  came  the  message  that  six  drifters 
were  to  be  cleared  of  all  their  war  appliances  and 
were  to  be  given  stretchers,  cots,  slings  and  other 
appliances  for  the  carriage  of  wounded.  They 
were  to  be  ready  to  proceed  to  sea  at  2  A.M. 

All  was  ordered  hurry.  Piles  of  anti-submarine 
devices  were  taken  from  the  holds  of  these  ships. 
Other  vessels  came  alongside  and  unloaded 
stretchers,  cots  and  slings,  which  had  been  obtained 
from  local  naval  hospitals  and  hospital  ships.  The 
officers  were  grouped  round  a  commander  in  the 
wardroom  having  typed  orders,  which  had  evi- 
dently been  prepared  long  beforehand,  carefully 
explained  to  them.  Red  Cross  flags  were  served 
out,  and  by  1.30  A.M.  all  were  ready  for  sea. 

Other  ships  stole  silently  out  into  the  blueness  of 
the  night  to  strengthen  patrols  and  prevent  hostile 
submarines  from  getting  into  position  to  attack 
the  main  battle  fleets  on  their  return  to  harbour. 

Wireless  messages  indicating  a  concentration  of 
German  submarines  on  the  lines  of  communication 
were  received.  Every  armed  ship  was  in  great 
demand,  but  over  the  dark  waters,  lashed  by  a 
stiff  easterly  breeze,  the  gunners  of  many  batteries 
gazed  steadily  as  the  searchlights  played  around, 
investigating  everything  thatjmoved  on  the  face  of 
the  waters.  Beams  flashed  heavenwards  for  hostile 
aerial  fleets. 

On  the  dark  quaysides  and  on  the  decks  of  the 
ships  hundreds  of  sailors  moved  noiselessly  about 
getting  ready  for  sea.  Columns  of  smoke  from  the 

251 


In  the  Shadow  of  a  Big  Sea  Fight 

short  funnels  of  destroyers,  trawlers  and  drifters 
showed  up  black  against  the  indigo  void,  and  ever 
and  anon  hoarse  voices  shouted  orders,  unin- 
telligible from  the  distance.  It  was  quiet  pre- 
paration rather  than  noisy  haste,  and  although  an 
air  of  suppressed  excitement  did  prevail  when  the 
men  were  mustered  «and  extra  hands  told  off  to  the 
different  ships  by  the  light  of  battle  lanterns,  it 
was  more  a  feeling  of  hope  than  one  of  satisfaction. 

For  nearly  two  years  these  men  had  quietly 
fought  the  elusive  submarine,  the  nerve-shattering 
mine,  and  endured  uncomplainingly  the  terrible 
hardships,  arduous  work  and  monotony  of  patrol, 
and  now  their  one  fervent  hope  was  a  glimpse  at 
least  of  the  real  thing. 

In  the  wardroom  on  the  quay  about  sixty  officers 
of  all  ranks  were  discussing  the  possibilities  of  the 
fight  while  waiting  impatiently  for  the  last  com- 
mand before  the  relief  of  action— "  Carry  on  as 
ordered/'  Conversation  centred  on  the  Grand 
Fleet,  under  Sir  John  Jellicoe,  steaming  down  from 
the  north.  Many  had  seen  those  miles  of  gigantic 
warships,  whose  mere  existence  had  preserved  for 
the  Entente  the  command  of  the  sea  and  all  that  it 
implied-  Others  had  served  in  ships  whose  names 
have  been  familiar  to  Englishmen  since  the  days  of 
Nelson,  and  now  opined  that  when  at  last  the  "  old 
ship  "—perhaps  a  brand-new  super-dreadnought  — 
was  going  into  action  on  the  great  day  it  was  their 
luck  to  be  in  command  of  a  "  one-horse  "  boat 
miles  from  the  field  of  glory. 

Four  bells  had  struck  when  the  signal  came  for 

252 


In  the  Shadow  of  a  Big  Sea  Fight 

all  ships  under  orders  to  proceed  to  sea.  Oilskins 
were  rapidly  slipped  on,  for  a  fine  rain  had  com- 
menced to  fall  and  the  damp  wind  was  penetrat- 
ingly cold  at  this  early  hour.  Almost  silently  the 
small  grey  ships  slid  out  of  harbour  and  were  lost 
in  the  blueness  of  the  night. 

When  dawn  broke  over  the  choppy  tumbling 
sea  the  different  flotillas  were  far  apart,  each 
attending  to  its  allotted  task.  Those  engaged  in 
patrolling  the  route  by  which  the  battle  cruisers 
would  return  found  themselves  acting  in  conjunc- 
tion with  a  division  of  destroyers,  some  of  whom 
had  been  under  refit  but  a  few  hours  previously, 
but  when  the  tocsin  of  battle  rang  out  had  made 
themselves  ready  for  sea  in  an  incredibly  short  time, 
thereby  earning  the  praise  of  the  commander-in- 
chief. 

Information  had  been  received,  and  later  in  the 
day  was  confirmed,  that  no  less  than  five  hostile 
submarines  were  known  to  be  waiting  in  the 
vicinity  with  the  object  of  attacking  any  crippled 
ships  from  the  battle  fleets,  and  it  became  the  duty 
of  the  patrols  to  clear  them  away  from  the  lines  of 
communication.  For  over  twenty  hours  the  seas 
around  were  churned  by  the  keels  of  a  hetero- 
geneous fleet  of  ships  armed  with  equally  hetero- 
geneous weapons.  Guns'  crews  stayed  by  their 
weapons  until  their  limbs  ached  and  look-outs 
searched  the  sea  with  burning  eyes.  Through  the 
short  dark  hours  of  a  May  night  in  northern  lati- 
tudes searchlights  swept  the  near  approaches, 

253 


In  the  Shadow  of  a  Big  Sea  Fight 

while  in  the  black  void  of  sea  and  sky  beyond 
myriads  of  mosquito  craft  moved  over  the  face  of 
the  waters  with  all  lights  out  and  their  narrow 
decks  cleared  for  action.  Alarms  were  frequent, 
and  the  occasional  yellow  flashes  and  sharp  reports 
of  cordite,  some  too  far  distant  to  be  visible,  told 
their  own  tale.  In  the  treacherous  light  of  early 
dawn  the  fins  of  big  porpoises  were  more  than  once 
mistaken  for  the  hunted  periscope. 

With  the  Red  Cross  flotilla  waiting  behind  the 
screen  of  patrols  and  defences  things  had  moved 
rapidly.  Each  little  ship  had  been  told  off  to 
attend  on  one  or  other  of  the  great  warships  which 
were  hourly  expected  from  the  battle  zone. 
Stretchers,  bedding,  cots  and  slings  were  piled  on 
the  decks,  and  extra  hands  had  been  lent  for  the 
work  of  removing  the  wounded. 

Another  flotilla  was  in  readiness  to  replace  the 
casualties  with  reinforcements,  which  had  been 
concentrated  by  special  trains,  in  order  that  the 
battle  fleets  and  squadrons  might  be  again  ready 
for  sea  in  the  shortest  possible  time. 

At  the  base  trains  and  big  ships  were  waiting 
with  every  known  appliance  to  alleviate  the  suffer- 
ing which  was  coming  in  from  the  sea. 

It  was  a  typical  May  morning,  with  a  light 
easterly  breeze,  when  the  first  of  the  great  line  of 
ships— H. M.S.  Lion—  came  into  view.  A  hurri- 
cane of  cheers  greeted  her  from  the  deck  of  every 
ship  that  passed.  Then  the  gallant  Warspite,  low 
by  the  stern  and  scarred  and  torn  by  tornadoes  of 

254 


In  the  Shadow  of  a  Big  Sea  Fight 

shell  ;  the  New  Zealand,  scarcely  touched  by  the 
fiery  ordeal ;  the  plucky  little  light  cruiser  South- 
ampton, holed  and  battered  ;  followed  by  cruiser 
after  cruiser  with  attendant  destroyers,  some 
with  great  bright  steel  splinters  of  shell  still  stick- 
ing tight  in  the  gouged  armour-plate  ;  others  with 
holes  plugged  with  wood  and  broadsides  stained 
with  the  bright  yellow  of  high  explosives.  Gun 
shields  caught  by  the  gusts  of  shell  were  cut 
out  like  fretwork  ;  funnels  were  blotched  with 
blackened  holes  ;  but  of  them  all  not  one  was  out 
of  action.  Few,  if  any,  of  the  heavy  guns  and 
armoured  barbettes  were  damaged,  and  all  except 
one— the  War  spite—  came  in  proudly  under  their 
own  steam.  This  was  the  return  of  the  battle 
cruiser  and  light  cruiser  squadrons,  which,  under 
Sir  David  Beatty,  had  met  and  defeated  practic- 
ally the  entire  German  navy.  Steaming  back  into 
the  northern  mist  was  the  Grand  Fleet— the 
largest  assembly  of  warships  ever  known— which, 
had  it  been  given  the  opportunity  so  eagerly 
sought,  would  undoubtedly  have  annihilated  the 
remains  of  Von  Hipper 's  fleet. 

An  observer  from  a  distance  would  have  found 
it  difficult  to  believe  that  this  was  the  fleet  which 
had  just  fought  the  greatest  sea  fight  in  the  history 
of  the  world.  Yet  the  decks  of  the  seaplane  carrier 
Engadine  were  covered  with  men  in  motley 
clothes,  a  grim  reminder  of  the  severity  of  the 
ordeal,  for  they  were  the  survivors  from  the 
thousands  who  had  manned  the  Princess  Royal 
and  Invincible.  On  the  high  poop  a  fleet  chaplain 

255 


In  the  Shadow  of  a  Big  Sea  Fight 

was  surrounded  by  figures  in  borrowed  duffel  suits 
giving  thanks  to  the  God  of  Battles  for  their  rescue. 

As  the  engines  of  each  great  ship  came  tempo- 
rarily to  rest  a  vessel  of  the  Red  Cross  flotilla  ranged 
alongside  and  the  more  sombre  work  of  war  began. 
A  shell  through  the  sick-bay  of  H.M.S.  Lion  had 
caused  Sir  David  Beatty  to  have  many  of  the 
wounded  on  that  ship  placed  in  his  own  cabins. 
The  only  casualty  on  the  New  Zealand  was  caused 
by  a  gust  of  bursting  steel  over  the  signal  bridge. 
A  big  shell  had  passed  longitudinally  through  the 
line  of  officers'  cabins  in  the  battered  little  South- 
ampton, and  many  were  the  curious  escapes  from 
death.  In  modern  naval  war  a  heavy  casualty 
list  seems  unavoidable,  and  the  deadly  nature  of  a 
sea  fight  will  perhaps  be  better  realised  when  it  is 
stated  that  on  one  of  the  battle  cruisers  there  were 
just  over  three  hundred  casualties,  of  which  number 
very  nearly  two  hundred  were  killed  outright,  and 
this  on  a  ship  which  still  sailed  proudly  into  port  in 
fighting  condition.  Where  the  shells  had  burst  in 
the  steel  flats  the  fierce  heat  generated  had  burnt 
off  the  clothes  and  skin  of  many  who  were  un- 
touched by  the  flying  slivers  of  steel,  and  the  crews 
of  the  secondary  batteries  of  smaller  guns  suffered 
severely. 

Cot  cases  were  the  first  to  be  lowered  from  the 
decks  of  the  warships  to  the  waiting  Red  Cross 
boats.  The  patience  and  care  with  which  this 
difficult  operation  was  carried  out  may  be  gauged 
from  the  fact  that  there  were  no  casualties  or 
deaths  during  the  work  of  transportation.  Human 

256 


In  the  Shadow  of  a  Big  Sea  Fight 

forms,  swathed  from  head  to  foot  in  yellow  picric- 
acid  dressings,  were  lowered  on  to  the  decks  or 
carried  down  the  gangways.  By  a  curious  ordi- 
nance of  fate,  picric  acid,  one  of  the  most  deadly 
explosives  known,  also  provides  a  medical  dressing 
for  the  alleviation  of  the  pain  which  in  another 
form  it  majf  have  caused.  The  walking  wounded, 
with  arms  in  slings  or  heads  covered  in  lint,  were 
helped  down  the  ship's  sides  by  smoke -blackened 
cc.nrades  in  uniforms  torn  to  shreds  by  the  fierce 
work  of  naval  war. 

All  serious  cases  of  shell  shock  were  conveyed 
at  the  utmost  speed  by  special  units  to  the  big 
and  lavishly  equipped  hospital  ships.  Those  with 
minor  injuries  were  taken  ashore  and  placed  in 
ambulance  trains  for  distribution  among  the  big 
naval  hospitals.  So  perfect  was  the  organisa- 
tion that  within  three  hours  all  the  sick-bays 
had  been  cleared  and  fresh  crews  placed  on 
board.  The  squadrons  were  again  ready  to  give 
battle. 

Twenty-four  hours  later  the  patrol  flotillas 
returned  to  their  base  to  commence  once  again  the 
dangerous  and  monotonous  but  less  spectacular 
work  of  minesweepirig  and  patrol.  Their  work  in 
preventing  a  concentration  of  German  submarines 
on  the  line  of  route  of  the  returning  fleets  and  in 
the  removal  of  the  wounded  received  high  praise 
from  the  commander-in-chief.  In  the  wardroom 
on  the  little  stone  pier  a  silent  toast  was  given  that 
night  to  those  who  had  gone  aloft  in  the  greatest 
sea  fight  since  Trafalgar. 

R  257 


CHAPTER  XXIII 
A  NIGHT  ATTACK 

Two  drifters,  about  a  mile  apart,  with  no  lights  to 
indicate  their  presence,  were  drifting  idly  with  the 
ebb  tide.  It  was  an  oppressively  hot  night  in  mid- 
August.  Scarcely  a  ripple  disturbed  the  surface  of 
the  sea,  but  the  intense  darkness  and  the  absence 
of  stars  told  of  the  heavy  clouds  above.  The  baro- 
meter had  been  falling  rapidly  for  some  hours  and 
all  the  conditions  seemed  to  indicate  a  coming 
storm. 

The  duty  of  these  two  vessels  was  to  watch  lines 
of  cunningly  laid  submerged  nets  (described  in  an 
earlier  chapter)  and  to  guide  the  few  merchant 
ships  which  passed  that  way  through  the  labyrinth 
of  these  defences,  laid  temporarily  as  a  trap  for  the 
wily  "  Fritz  "  if  he  should  chance  to  be  cruising  in 
the  vicinity. 

The  drifters  were  adequately  armed  with  guns 
and  depth  charges  to  attack  any  such  monster  of 
the  deep  which  betrayed  its  presence  by  becoming 
entangled  in  the  fine  wire  mesh  and  so  attaching  to 
itself  a  flaming  tail,  which  would  then  be  dragged 
along  the  surface,  marking  it  as  a  target  for  all  the 
pleasant  surprises  lying  ready  on  the  decks  of  the 
patrols. 

Fishing  for  Fritz  was  a  popular  sport  in  the  anti- 

258 


A  Night  Attack 

submarine  service  until  the  "  fish  >J  became  shy 
and  its  devotees  blase ;  then  the  primitive  net  was 
changed  for  the  more  scientific  devices  already 
described.  It  required  infinite  patience  and  meant 
very  hard  work,  with  a  soupfon  of  danger  thrown 
in.  For  when  the  tons  of  steel  wire-netting,  with  its 
heavy  sinkers  and  floats,  had  been  laid,  days  were 
spent  in  watching  and  repairing,  then  endless  re- 
source employed  to  induce  a  submarine  to  enter 
the  trap.  Occasionally  the  voyage  ended  in  an 
exciting  chase,  with  the  flaming  buoy  as  the  guiding 
light. 

It  was  in  the  early  period  of  the  war,  when  Paris 
was  still  threatened  by  the  Teutonic  armies  and 
the  Allies  waited  confidently  for  the  clash  of  the 
great  battle  fleets.  Every  dark  night  on  the 
northern  sea  eyes  and  ears  were  silently  watching 
and  listening  for  the  comings  and  goings  which 
would  herald  the  storm.  The  strain  was  great 
though  the  work  was  not  spectacular,  for  all 
knew  that  the  safety  of  England,  or  at  least 
its  freedom  from  invasion,  might,  for  one  brief 
historical  instant,  depend  on  the  vigilance  and 
nerve  of  that  heterogeneous,  irregular  horse, 
the  sea  patrols. 

The  great  cruiser  squadrons  were  scouring  the 
North  Sea.  Battle  seemed  imminent,  and  that 
vague  wave  of  human  electricity  which  passes  along 
the  firing  line  before  the  attack  at  dawn,  and  even 
extends  to  the  lines  of  communication,  was  in  the 
air  on  this  dark  night  in  1915. 

Six  bells  had  just  struck  when  a  faint,  cool  breeze 

259 


A  Night  Attack 

swept  across  the  surface,  and  a  few  minutes  later 
the  first  vivid  flash  of  lightning  forked  the  eastern 
sky.  There  was  a  scramble  for  oilskins  on  Drifter 
42  as  the  rain  came  hissing  down  like  a  flood  re- 
leased. The  storm  was  severe  while  it  lasted. 
The  thunder  rolled  over  the  placid  surface. 
Lightning  darted  athwart  the  sky,  illuminating  the 
black  void  beneath.  For  about  thirty  minutes  the 
sky  blazed  and  roared,  then  the  hiss  of  the  rain 
ceased  and  the  storm  moved  slowly  northwards, 
but  one  of  the  final  flashes  revealed  something 
low  down  on  the  surface  moving  stealthity  for- 
ward. So  brief  was  the  glimpse  obtained,  how- 
ever, that  it  seemed  merely  a  phantom — by  no 
means  uncommon  occurrences  when  men  have 
been  watching  for  years.  When  the  next  flash 
came  the  surface  of  the  sea  around  was  clear. 

As  was  usual  in  such  cases,  half  the  watch  on 
deck  could  swear  they  had  seen  it,  while  those  who 
were  not  looking  ridiculed  the  idea,  so  the  C.O.  said 
nothing  and  took  precautions.  The  watch  below 
was  called  and  the  powerful  little  gun  on  the  fore- 
deck  manned.  Then  all  waited  in  silence,  listen- 
ing intently  for  the  curious,  creaking  noise  of  a 
submarine  under  way. 

In  those  early  days  of  hostilities  there  were  no 
elaborate  hydrophones  for  detecting  the  approach 
of  submarines  under  the  water,  and  the  only  hope 
of  a  warning  came  from  the  possibility  of  the  under- 
water vessel  breaking  surface  momentarily.  The 
uselessness  of  the  periscope  for  navigation  during 
darkness,  which  at  present  forms  the  principal 

260 


A  Night  Attack 

limitation  of  submarines,  made  it  distinctly  likely 
that  she  would  cruise  on  the  surface  at  night,  and  if 
forced  to  dive  would  be  more  or  less  compelled  to 
quickly  rise  again  in  order  to  ascertain  the  position 
of  her  enemy  before  it  would  be  possible  to  fire  a 
torpedo  with  any  chance  of  success. 

For  these  reasons  all  eyes  and  ears  on  the  drifter 
were  strained  to  catch  the  first  glimpse  or  sound, 
and  dead  silence  was  maintained.  It  is  in  times 
like  this  that  one  discovers  how  acute  the  senses 
become  when  danger  lurks  in  the  darkness  around. 
Things  undetectable  under  normal  conditions  can 
be  seen  or  heard  distinctly  when  life  depends  on 
the  intelligence  so  gained. 

Long  minutes  of  silence  slipped  by  and  nothing 
occurred  ;  then  came  the  distant  and  familiar 
creaking  noise,  almost  inaudible  at  first.  The 
gun's  crew  braced  themselves  for  the  stern  work 
ahead.  On  the  rapidity  and  accuracy  of  their  fire 
not  only  their  own  lives,  but  also  those  of  their 
comrades,  would  probably  depend.  The  gun- 
layer  bent  his  back  and  glanced  along  the  grey 
tube  to  the  tiny  blue  glow  of  the  electric  night 
I  sight.  The  shell  was  placed  in  the  open  breech. 
Then  came  those  interminable  seconds  before  an 
action  begins. 

The  tension  would  have  been  almost  unsupport- 
able  had  nearly  all  of  the  crew  not  grown  accus- 
tomed to  life  hanging  in  the  balance  on  the  wastes 
of  sea. 

A  flicker  of  light,  at  first  almost  spectral,  ap- 
alpeared  from  out  of  the  darkness  some  500  yards 

261 


A  Night  Attack 

to  starboard.  It  grew  almost  instantly  into  a 
bright  white  flare,  illuminating  the  surface  of  the 
black  water  as  it  moved  along.  The  pungent 
smell  of  burning  calcium  floated  over  the  sea 
and  the  drifter's  engines  began  to  throb  heavily. 

The  tension  relaxed,  a  subdued  cheer  broke  from 
the  crew  of  the  drifter  as  she  gathered  speed,  and 
the  Morse  lamp  winked  its  order  for  concerted 
action  to  the  other  drifter  somewhere  in  the  dark- 
ness around.  An  answering  dot-dash-dot  of  light 
appeared  from  away  to  starboard  and  the  chase 
commenced  in  earnest. 

A  few  minutes  later  the  glare  from  the  calcium 
buoy,  now  being  towed  through  the  water  at 
several  knots,  shone  on  the  faces  of  the  crew  as 
they  trained  their  gun  ahead,  but  the  submarine 
was  under  the  surface  and,  although  probably 
quite  unaware  of  the  flaming  tail  which  was  be- 
traying her  movements,  appeared  to  know  that 
she  was  being  hunted  by  surface  craft.  After 
running  straight  ahead  for  a  few  minutes  she 
turned  eight  points  to  the  eastward  in  an  attempt 
to  baffle  pursuit. 

The  chase  was  a  fairly  long  one,  as  the  speed  of 
the  drifters  was  not  sufficient  to  enable  them  to 
gain  rapidly  on  their  quarry,  but  the  flexibility  of 
the  steam-engine  gradually  gave  the  surface  ships 
the  advantage  and  they  crept  up  level  with  the 
light.  Then,  with  their  boilers  almost  bursting 
and  flames  spouting  from  the  funnels,  they  drew 
ahead  until  over  the  submarine  itself.  Depth 
charges  were  dropped  from  the  stern  of  the  drifters. 

262 


A  Night  Attack 

The  water  boiled  with  the  force  of  the  explosions 
and  the  light  on  the  buoy  went  out.  Still  the 
drifters  held  their  course  in  the  now  pall-like  black- 
ness, and  other  bombs  splashed  into  the  water 
astern,  to  explode  with  a  dull  vibration  a  few 
seconds  after  they  had  sunk  from  the  surface. 

The  engines  of  the  two  small  surface  ships  were 
shut  off  and  every  ear  became  alert,  but  no  sound 
broke  the  stillness  of  the  summer  night,  except  the 
rumble  of  distant  thunder  and  the  gentle  lap  of  the 
sea  against  the  sides.  Morse  signals  winked  from 
one  ship  to  the  other  and  back  again.  When  due 
precautions  had  been  taken  against  a  further  sur- 
prise attack,  the  chivalry  of  the  sea  called  for  a 
search  to  be  made  for  possible  survivors.  This 
was  done  with  the  aid  of  flares,  but  only  oil  and 
some  small  debris  were  found.  Dan-buoys  were 
dropped  to  mark  the  spot  and  soundings  taken. 
Twenty- four  fathoms  deep  was  added  to  the  report 
of  the  action,  and  a  few  days  later  a  diver  reported 
having  found  the  wreck  of  the  U-C  oo. 


263 


CHAPTER  XXIV 
MYSTERIES  OF  THE  GREAT  SEA  WASTES 

THE  piratical  warfare  of  German  submarines  pro- 
duced many  sea  mysteries.  Some  were  solved 
after  the  lapse  of  months  and  even  years,  while 
others  will,  in  all  probability,  remain  unknown 
until  the  sea  gives  up  its  dead. 

Among  the  latter  may  be  numbered  the  curious 
discovery  in  the  North  Atlantic  of  a  nameless 
sailing  ship,  without  cargo,  identifying  papers  or 
crew,  but  sound  from  truck  to  kelson,  and(with  her 
two  life-boats  stowed  neatly  inboard  and  a  half- 
finished  meal  on  the  cabin  table.  Experts  ex- 
amined this  vessel  when  brought  into  port,  but  so 
far  have  been  utterly  unable  to  offer  any  solution 
or  discover  any  clue,  beyond  the  fact  that  she  was 
built  and  fitted  out  in  some  American  port  and 
carried  an  unusually  large  crew. 

Another  similar  mystery  was  the  disappearance 
of  a  French  vessel  while  on  a  voyage  to  New  Orleans 
and  the  discovery  eleven  months  afterwards  that 
she  had  called  for  water  and  food  at  a  small  port 
on  the  Pacific  coast  of  South  America.  No  further 
trace  has  so  far  come  to  light,  nor  the  reason  for  her 
changing  course  and  rounding  Cape  Horn. 

A  mystery  which  remains  a  mystery  to  the  end 
of  the  chapter  is  likely  to  be  irritating  to  the 

264 


Mysteries  of  the  Great  Sea  Wastes 

imaginative  mind,  but  to  the  following  occurrence 
there  came  a  solution  after  the  lapse  of  a  few  weeks. 

THE  SPECTRE  OF  THE  GOODWINS 

It  was  a  pitch-black  night,  with  fine  rain  driving 
up  from  the  south-west.  The  summer  gale  which 
had  raged  for  the  past  twenty-four  hours  had 
blown  itself  out,  and  although  the  steep  seas  still 
retained  their  night-caps,  the  wind  came  only  in 
fitful  gusts.  Away  to  starboard  an  indistinct 
blur  of  white  foam  stretched  athwart  the  sea  and 
the  dull  roar  from  the  maelstrom  of  the  Goodwins 
rolled  across  the  miles  of  intervening  water. 

The  armed  trawler  Curlew  bravely  shouldered 
her  way  through  each  green  comber  as  it  rose  to 
meet  her,  lurching  over  the  seas  in  a  smother  of 
spray.  Oilskinned  figures  moved  warily  along  the 
life-lines,  for  when  a  wave  struck  her  tons  of  water 
swept  across  her  slanting  decks,  submerging  the 
bulwarks  and  causing  the  sturdy  ship  to  groan 
and  tremble  from  stem  to  stern. 

In  the  little  bridge-house  the  dim  light  from  the 
binnacle  shone  on  the  hard  wet  face  of  the  com- 
manding officer,  who  watched  the  seas  as  they  rose 
up  ahead,  giving  directions  to  the  man  at  the  wheel, 
and  all  the  while  keeping  a  watchful  eye  on  the 
distant  blur  of  foam  covering  the  treacherous 
shoals. 

Few  except  sailormen  can  realise  the  dangers 
and  anxieties  of  navigation  in  times  of  war.  The 
absence  not  only  of  the  warning  lights  which  in 

265 


Mysteries  of  the  Great  Sea  Wastes 

days  of  peace  flash  their  signals  far  out  over  the 
seas,  marking  the  innumerable  dangers  which  He 
along  treacherous  coasts,  but  also  of  warships  and 
merchantmen  rushing  through  the  night  with  not 
even  the  flicker  from  a  port-hole  to  denote  their 
coming — perhaps  at  a  speed  of  nearly  three-quarters 
of  a  mile  a  minute ;  a  second's  indecision  on  the 
part  of  the  brain  and  nerve  directing  each  ship,  a 
momentary  forgetfulness  of  that  elusive  "  right 
thing  to  do" — some  second  danger  to  attract  a 
flash  of  attention  from  the  first — even  a  blinding 
cloud  of  spray  at  the  psychological  moment  and, 
well,  two  more  ships  have  gone,  with  perhaps 
hundreds  of  lives.  Yet  these  things  but  seldom 
happened,  and  the  reason  was  that  all  that 
tireless  energy,  skill  and  nerve  could  do  was 
done  on  the  sea  in  those  years  of  storm  and 
stress. 

Some  two  hours  later,  and  just  before  dawn  broke 
over  the  tumbling  sea,  an  exceptionally  heavy 
wave  struck  the  trawler  full  on  the  port-bow.  The 
hammer-like  blows  of  the  water  as  it  poured  on 
board  and  struck  the  base  of  the  wheel-house  and 
superstructure  momentarily  drowned  all  other 
sound.  When  the  air  had  cleared  of  flying  spume 
a  big  black  hull  loomed  out  of  the  darkness  ahead 
and  seemed  suddenly  to  grow  to  an  immense  size, 
towering  high  above  the  trawler's  forecastle-head. 
A  blast  on  the  whistle,  a  sharp  order  and  the 
trawler  swung  off  to  starboard,  with  the  great 
black  mass  perilously  near.  It  was  a  close  shave, 
and  the  watch  held  their  breath  while  waiting  for 

266 


Mysteries  of  the  Great  Sea  Wastes 

the  crash  and  shock  which  for  a  brief  second 
seemed  inevitable. 

There  was  no  time  for  action  or  signal.  The 
great  ship  slid  past  like  some  black  phantom 
framed  in  the  white  of  flying  scud.  It  faded  into 
the  misty  darkness  of  sea  and  sky  almost  as  quickly 
as  it  had  appeared,  and,  curiously,  no  sound  of 
throbbing  engines  accompanied  its  passage. 

It  took  the  captain  of  the  patrol  but  a  minute  to 
make  up  his  mind  what  to  do.  He  gave  a  quick 
order  to  the  helmsman  and  a  warning  shout  to  the 
watch  below  on  deck.  The  little  ship,  as  she  came 
about,  lurched  into  the  trough  of  a  sea  and  rose 
shivering  from  end  to  end.  The  next  moment  an 
avalanche  of  white  and  green  water  poured  over 
her,  flooding  the  decks  and  sending  clouds  of  spray 
high  over  the  funnel  and  masts.  Then  com- 
menced an  exciting  chase,  with  the  seas  racing  up 
astern  and  all  eyes  trying  to  penetrate  the  darkness 
ahead. 

The  faint  misty  light  of  a  new  day  had 
brightened  the  eastern  horizon  before  the  mysteri- 
ous ship  again  loomed  up  ahead.  The  heavy  sea 
still  running  made  it  difficult,  however,  to  dis- 
tinguish any  national  or  local  characteristics  which 
might  give  a  clue  to  her  identity  or  intentions,  and 
the  suspense  was,  keen. 

The  two  guns  of  the  patrol  vessel  were  manned, 
and  a  three -flag  signal  fluttered  from  the  jumper- 
stay  but  received  no  immediate  reply  from  the 
ship  ahead.  Then,  after  a  few  minutes'  pause, 
during  which  time  the  trawler  manoeuvred  for  the 

267 


Mysteries  of  the  Great  Sea  Wastes 

advantage  of  the  light  from  the  breaking  dawn,  a 
yellow  flash  belched  from  her  side  and  a  shell 
ricochetted  off  the  water  just  ahead  of  the  mysteri- 
ous steamer.  Still  there  was /no  response;  but  it 
could  now  be  plainly  seen  that  the  engines  were 
not  working  and  that  she  was  drifting  before  the 
wind  and  sea. 

Was  it  merely  a  ruse  de guerre  to  gain  the  advant- 
age in  the  event  of  an  attack,  or  was  she  a  vessel 
disabled  by  the  storm  which  had  raged  during  the 
past  forty-eight  hours  ?  Neither  of  these  supposi- 
tions, however,  satisfactorily  explained  the  total 
disregard  of  signals  and  the  warning  shot  which 
had  been  fired  across  her  bows. 

Again  a  line  of  flags  were  hoisted  on  the  trawler's 
halyards,  this  time  a  well-known  signal  from  the 
International  Code,  but  still  no  notice  was  taken  of 
the  peremptory  order  it  conveyed. 

After  the  chase  had  been  on  for  over  an  hour 
another  shot  was  fired  from  the  trawler.  The 
report  echoed  across  the  still  boisterous  sea  and 
the  splash  of  the  shell  just  cleared  the  ship's  bow. 
Still  there  was  no  response,  and  the  trawler's  course 
was  altered  so  that  she  would  soon  close  in  on  her 
quarry.  As  the  light  increased  it  was  seen  that  a 
stout  wire  hawser  was  trailing  in  the  water  from 
the  starboard  bow,  and  suspicion  of  some  new 
evidence  of  sea  kultur  increased.  When  the  range 
had  closed  to  about  1000  yards  she  slowly  swung 
round  until  almost  broadside-on  to  the  trawler, 
whose  guns  instantly  opened  fire  in  earnest.  The 
third  shell  struck  the  large  wheel-house  of  the 

268 


Mysteries  of  the  Great  Sea  Wastes 

mystery  ship,  demolishing  it  completely.  When  it 
became  evident  that  the  fire  was  not  going  to  be 
returned,  the  guns  of  the  trawler  again  ceased,  and 
the  two  vessels  drew  close  to  each  other.  A  partly 
defaced  name,  which  was  rendered  indecipherable 
by  the  splash  of  the  seas  as  they  struck  the  counter, 
could  be  distinguished  with  the  aid  of  binoculars  in 
the  quickening  light  of  early  morning,  but  neither 
officers  nor  crew  could  be  seen,  the  bridge  and  decks 
appearing  deserted. 

Not  to  be  misled  by  this  ruse,  however — for  on 
similar  occasions  ships  had  been  blown  to  pieces 
at  close  range  by  concealed  batteries — the  Curlew 
approached  cautiously,  bows-on,  offering  the  small- 
est possible  target,  and  with  her  guns  trained  on  the 
quarry.  This  sea-stalking  is  nervy  work  and  must 
be  played  slowly.  Twice  the  trawler  circled  round 
the  mysterious  ship,  and  the  sun  had  mounted 
high,  penetrating  the  banks  of  cloud  which  scudded 
across  the  summer  sky  and  tinging  the  still  boister- 
ous sea  with  flecks  of  golden  light,  before  it  was 
considered  safe  to  relax  all  precautions.  Even 
then  the  sea  prevented  any  attempt  being  made  to 
board  the  curious  craft,  and  for  six  hours  the 
trawler  clung  to  the  heels  of  her  quarry,  which  was 
rapidly  drifting  far  out  into  the  North  Sea. 

The  danger  of  attack  from  hostile  submarines 
was  great,  and  the  gunners  stood  by  their  weapons 
although  drenched  every  few  seconds  by  the  floods 
of  heavy  spray  which  still  poured  over  the  bows. 
At  last  patience  and  endurance  were  rewarded. 
The  sea  calmed  sufficiently  to  enable  a  boat  to  be 

269 


Mysteries  of  the  Great  Sea  Wastes 

lowered  and  with  difficulty  brought  up  under  the 
lee  of  the  mysterious  ship. 

An  armed  guard,  headed  by  the  sub-lieutenant, 
eagerly  scrambled  up  the  lofty  rolling  sides.  They 
had  scarcely  reached  the  deck  before  their  only 
means  of  retreat  was  cut  off.  The  two  men  left  in 
the  life-boat  were  unable  to  keep  her  off  the  iron 
sides  of  the  big  ship.  She  rose  like  a  cork  on  the 
crest  of  a  Wave  until  almost  level  with  the  top  line 
of  port-holes  and  then  dropped  back,  catching  the 
edges  of  the  rolling-stocks.  There  was  a  crash  of 
splintering  wood  and  the  next  minute  two  half- 
drowned  men  were  being  hauled  up  the  sides  by 
their  comrades  on  deck. 

It  was  an  anxious  moment,  for  although  the 
decks  seemed  deserted  there  was  that  curious,  un- 
canny feeling  which  is  ever  present  when  facing  an 
unknown  peril.  After  all  it  might  prove  to  be  a 
ruse  de  guerre  or  some  new  form  of  irightfulness. 
There  were  only  six  men  from  the  trawler — a  small 
enough  party,  however  well  armed,  if  it  came  to 
a  fight — and  great  caution  was  observed  while 
exploring  the  ship.  A  signal  had  been  arranged 
in  the  event  of  treachery,  and  the  Curlew,  with 
her  guns  and  wireless,  would  prove  a  dangerous 
antagonist. 

All  was  well,  however,  for  the  ship  was  deserted. 
A  careful  inspection  of  the  cabins  showed  that  the 
departure  of  officers  and  crew  had  been  a  hasty 
one,  but  all  the  ship's  papers  had  been  carefully 
removed.  The  fore-peak  or  bow  water-tight  com- 
partment was  full  of  water,  but  the  bulk-head  had 

270 


Mysteries  of  the  Great  Sea  Wastes 

held  and  kept  the  vessel  afloat.  Beyond  this  no 
damage  was  visible  above  the  water-line  and  the 
condition  of  both  hull  and  engines  was  good.  She 
proved  to  be  a  Spanish  ship,  and  to  make  the 
mystery  deeper  her  four  life-boats  were  still  on 
the  davits,  although  swung  outboard  ready  for 
lowering. 

In  those  troublous  days  the  fact  of  the  life-boats 
being  hoisted  out  in  readiness  for  eventualities 
conveyed  little  or  nothing,  but  when  a  careful 
search  proved  that  many  of  the  life-belts  had  gone 
with  the  crew  the  problem  became  an  interesting 
one.  Had  they  been  taken  on  to  the  deck  of  a 
German  submarine  which  had  subsequently  dived 
and  left  them  to  drown,  as  was  the  case  with  the 
crew  of  a  British  fishing  vessel,  or  had  they  been 
conveyed  as  prisoners  of  war  to  Germany  ? 
Against  both  of  these  surmises  was  the  fact  that 
all  the  ship's  boats  remained,  and  a  German  sub- 
marine would  scarcely  be  likely  to  come  close 
alongside  even  a  neutral  ship,  especially  during  the 
bad  weather  that  had  prevailed  for  the  past  few 
days.  Would  it  remain  one  of  the  many  mysteries 
of  the  great  sea  war  ? 

Some  few  hours  later  the  trawler,  with  her  big 
"  prize  "  —under  her  own  steam  —entered  an 
eastern  naval  base  and  berthed  her  capture  with 
the  aid  of  tugs. 

The  explanation  came  from  headquarters  several 

weeks  later.     The  s.s.   ,  of    Barcelona,   had 

grounded   on   the   Goodwins   about   three   hours 

271 


Mysteries  of  the  Great  Sea  Wastes 

before  she  nearly  ran  down  the  trawler.  Her  crew, 
thinking  that  she  would  rapidly  break  up  in  the 
surf,  had  fired  distress  signals  and  been  taken  safely 
ashore  in  a  life-boat.  The  rising  tide  and  south- 
westerly wind  had  done  the  rest,  freeing  her  from 
the  dangerous  sands. 


272 


CHAPTER  XXV 
FROM  OUT  THE  CLOUDS  AND  UNDER-SEAS 

IT  has  already  been  shown  that  the  science  of 
aerial  warfare  is  closely  allied  with  that  of  under- 
sea fighting.  Airships  and  seaplanes  play  import- 
ant parts  in  all  anti-submarine  operations.  They 
make  very  efficient  patrols  and  can  'detect  the 
presence  of  both  submarines  and  mines  under  the 
surface. 

During  the  Great  War  there  were  stations  for 
armed  aircraft  all  round  the  British  coast,  and  the 
patrols  of  the  sea  and  air  acted  in  close  co-opera- 
tion. It  often  happened  that  one  was  able  to 
render  important  service  to  the  other.  An  occa- 
sion such  as  this  took  place  off  an  east  coast  base 
in  November,  1916. 

SALVING  AN  AIRSHIP 

A  big  car  dashed  up  the  wooden  pier  of  a  small 
seaport  regardless  of  the  violent  jolting  from  the 
uneven  planking.  It  was  pulled  up  with  a  jerk 
when  level  with  one  of  the  little  grey  patrol  boats 
known  by  the  generic  name  of  M.L/s,  which  was 
lying  in  the  calm  water  alongside  with  its  air 
compressor  pumping  vigorously. 

Two  officers  of  the  Royal  Naval  Air  Service,  with 
s  273 


From  Out  the  Clouds  and  Under-seas 

a  P.O.,  carrying  a  powerful  Morse  signalling  lamp, 
jumped  from  the  car  and  scrambled  down  the 
wooden  piles  on  to  the  deck  of  the  M.L. 

A  nod  from  the  commanding  officer  and  the 
mooring  ropes  were  cast  off  as  the  telegraph  was 
jammed  over  to  "half  ahead."  Instantly  the 
powerful  engines  responded  to  the  order  and  the 
little  ship  began  rapidly  to  gather  way.  When 
the  harbour  bar  had  been  crossed  the  order  for  full 
speed  was  given  and  the  engines  settled  down  to  a 
low  staccato  roar  as  they  drove  the  M.L.  over  the 
heaving  swell. 

No  word  had  yet  been  spoken  between  the  officers 
of  the  sea  and  air.  A  brief  telephone  message  to 
the  little  hut  on  the  quayside  from  the  adjacent 
naval  base  to  the  effect  that  M.L.A6  was  to  be 
ready  to  embark  two  officers  from  the  air  station 
and  was  to  proceed  in  search  of  an  airship  which 
was  foundering  about  twenty  miles  seawards  was 
all  that  had  been  told,  and  yet  not  a  single 
second  of  time  was  lost  in  getting  under  way. 
All  recognised  that  it  was  a  race  to  save  the  lives 
of  men. 

The  little  ship  cleft  the  seas,  smothering  herself 
with  foam,  and  bluish  fumes  poured  out  of  the 
engine-room  ventilators.  The  first  half -hour 
seemed  interminably  long,  and  the  horizon  was 
continually  searched  with  the  aid  of  powerful 
glasses  for  a  sign  of  the  wrecked  airship.  At  last 
a  faint  speck  became  visible  away  to  the  south- 
west, and  as  the  distance  slowly  lessened — terribly 
slowly,  notwithstanding  the  speed  of  nearly  half-a- 

274 


From  Out  the  Clouds  and  Under-seas 

mile  a  minute — the  crumpled  envelope  settling  on 
the  water  could  be  distinguished. 

It  was  a  question  of  minutes.  Again  the  order 
was  shouted  down  the  speaking-tube  for  more 
speed,  but  this  time  there  was  no  reply.  The  CO. 
rang  the  telegraph  viciously,  but  without  result. 
The  coxswain  at  the  wheel  looked  up  quickly  and 
then  shouted  an  order  to  a  deck  hand,  who  lowered 
himself  down  the  tiny  man-hole  in  the  deck  leading 
to  the  engine-room.  A  few  seconds  later  the  second 
engineer  appeared  at  the  top  of  the  fo'c'sle  hatch 
and,  ducking  to  avoid  a  heavy  shower  of  spray, 
scrambled  aft  and  peered  down  the  man-hole,  from 
which  blue  fumes,  somewhat  thicker  and  more 
pungent  than  usual,  were  rising.  The  next  instant 
he  too  disappeared  below. 

The  air  officers  were  trying  to  get  into  com- 
munication with  the  rapidly  sinking  airship  by 
means  of  the  powerful  Morse  lamp,  but  without 
result,  and  one  of  them  put  his  head  into  the 
wheel-house  and  asked  anxiously  if  more  speed 
was  possible. 

Just  then  the  second  engineer  and  one  of  the 
crew  crawled  out  of  the  man-hole,  pulling  a  limp 
figure  behind  them.  The  C.O.  turned  to  ascertain 
what  had  happened,  and  the  men,  very  white  and 
shaky,  explained  in  a  few  gasps  that  they  had 
found  the  chief  engineer  senseless  at  the  bottom  of 
the  iron  ladder  leading  up  to  the  deck,  and  had 
themselves  been  nearly  gassed  by  the  petrol  fumes. 

Glancing  at  the  blue  vapour  now  pouring  up  the 
hatchway  and  out  of  the  ventilators,  the  C.O. 

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From  Out  the  Clouds  and  Under-seas 

realised  the  risk  of  fire  and  explosion  he  ran  by 
carrying  on  at  such  high  speed,  but  he  also  knew 
that  men  were  drowning  in  the  sea  some  eight  miles 
ahead,  and  that  the  few  extra  knots  might  make 
the  difference  between  life  and  death  for  them. 

That  the  risk  must  be  taken  was  a  foregone 
conclusion,  but  how  to  keep  the  engines  running 
at  that  high  speed  without  attention— for  it  was 
evident  that  no  man  could  live  for  many  minutes 
in  the  poisonous  fumes — was  a  more  difficult 
problem.  This  was  solved,  however,  by  the  second 
engineer  volunteering  to  go  below  with  a  life-line 
attached,  so  that  he  could  be  hauled  up  to  the 
deck  when  giddiness  came  on.  More  than  once 
this  gallant  petty  officer  had  to  be  pulled  up 
choking  and  exhausted.  He  risked  instant  death 
from  the  explosion  of  the  gas  from  the  leaking  and 
overheated  pipes  and  engines,  as  well  as  suffocation 
from  the  fumes,  but  he  stuck  to  his  post,  returning 
again  and  again  into  the  poisonous  atmosphere. 

Darkness  was  gradually  settling  over  the  sea, 
and  the  flickering  light  of  the  Morse  lamp — still 
asking  for  a  reply — made  yellow  streaks  on  the  wet 
fore-deck.  Presently  a  faint  speck  of  light  blinked 
amid  the  dark  mass  of  the  airship,  but  almost 
instantly  went  out,  and  for  some  time  nothing 
further  was  seen. 

Barely  three  miles  of  heaving  sea  separated  the 
two  ships  when  the  bright  glare  of  a  Very's  light, 
fired  from  a  pistol,  soared  into  the  air.  A  cheer 
broke  from  the  dark  figures  on  the  deck  of  the  M.L., 
and  a  message  of  hope  was  eagerly  flashed  back. 

276 


From  Out  the  Clouds  and  Under-seas 

The  last  knot  seemed  a  voyage  in  itself,  but 
eventually  the  great  dark  mass  of  the  still  floating 
envelope  loomed  up  ahead,  and  almost  instantly  the 
clang  of  the  engine-room  telegraph,  shutting  off  the 
leaky  engine,  gave  relief  to  the  plucky  second 
engineer,  who  had  retained  consciousness  and  con- 
trol through  that  dreadful  twenty  minutes  by  fre- 
quently filling  his  aching  lungs  above  the  hatchway. 

The  sea  around  was  a  mass  of  tangled  wires,  in 
which  the  mast  and  rigging  of  the  M.L.  was  the 
first  to  become  entangled.  Near  approach  was 
impossible,  so  orders  were  given  to  lower  away 
the  boat.  The  sturdy  little  steel-built  life-boat 
splashed  into  the  sea  alongside,  one  minute  rising 
on  a  wave  high  above  the  deck-line  and  the  next 
disappearing  into  the  dark  void  below.  Figures 
slid  down  the  miniature  falls  to  man  her  and  the 
next  minute  were  pulling  through  the  tangled 
wreckage  to  where  the  beam  of  the  M.L.'s  search- 
light showed  six  airmen  clinging  to  a  floating  but 
upturned  cupola. 

Numbed  with  the  cold,  they  fell  rather  than 
jumped  into  the  boat  as  it  was  pulled  alongside. 
One  was  insensible  and  the  others  were  too  far 
gone  to  utter  a  word.  Nothing  but  the  wonderful 
vitality  necessary  to  the  airman  as  to  the  sailor 
had  enabled  them  to  hold  on  in  that  bitter  cold  for 
over  two  hours  after  eight  hours  in  the  air. 

The  task  of  extricating  the  M.L.  from  the  tangle 
of  wire  stays  and  other  wreckage  was  a  difficult  one. 
A  propeller  had  entwined  itself  and  become  useless 
(afterwards  freed  by  going  astern),  the  little  signal 

277 


From  Out  the  Clouds  and  Under-seas 

topmast  and  yard  had  been  broken  off  by  a  loop  of 
wire  from  the  gigantic  envelope  and  the  ensign 
staff  carried  away.  After  abcut  twenty  minutes 
cutting  and  manoeuvring,  however,  she  floated 
free,  and  a  question  was  raised  as  to  the  possibility 
of  salving  the  airship. 

By  this  time  another  M.L.,  sent  out  to  assist  in 
the  work  of  rescue,  had  arrived  on  the  scene,  and  a 
conference  between  the  air  and  sea  officers  on  the 
senior  ship  resulted  in  the  attempt  at  salving  being 
made.  Wires  that  were  hanging  from  the  nose  of 
the  airship  were  made  fast  to  the  stern  of  the  M.L. /s, 
and  all  wreckage  was,  where  possible,  cut  adrift. 
This,  to  the  uninitiated,  may  sound  a  compara- 
tively quick  and  simple  operation,  but  when  it  is 
performed  in  the  darkness,  with  the  doubtful  aid 
of  two  small  searchlights,  on  a  sea  rising  and  fall- 
ing under  the  influence  of  a  heavy  ground  swell,  it 
is  anything  but  an  easy  or  rapid  operation,  and 
occupied  half  the  night. 

The  huge  mass  of  the  modern  airship  towered 
above  the  little  patrol  boats  like  some  leviathan 
of  the  deep.  To  attempt  its  towage  over  twenty 
miles  of  sea  seemed  almost  ludicrous  for  such  small 
craft,  and  yet  so  light  and  easy  of  passage  was  this 
aerial  monster  that  progress  at  the  rate  of  three 
knots  an  hour  was  made  when  once  the  wreckage 
had  been  cut  adrift,  the  weights  released  and  the 
envelope  had  risen  off  the  surface  of  the  water. 

Armed  trawlers  that  passed  in  the  night 
wondered  if  it  was  a  captive  zeppelin  and  winked 
out  inquiries  from  their  Morse  lamps.  A  destroyer 

278 


From  Out  the  Clouds  and  Under-seas 

came  out  of  the  darkness  to  offer  assistance.  The 
cause  of  much  anxiety  had  been  the  likelihood  of 
hostile  submarines  being  attracted  to  the  scene  by 
the  helplessness  of  the  airship,  which  had  been 
visible,  before  darkness  closed  over,  for  many  miles 
as  she  slowly  settled  down  into  the  sea.  This 
danger,  however,  passed  away  with  the  arrival  of 
the  destroyer  and  the  armed  trawlers,  but  another 
arose  which  threatened  to  wreck  the  whole  venture. 

About  5  A.M.  the  wind  began  to  freshen  from  the 
north-west  and  the  M.L.s'  towing  the  huge  bag 
were  immediately  dragged  to  leeward.  The  com- 
bined power  of  their  engines  failed  to  head  the  air- 
ship into  the  wind  and  urgent  signals  for  assistance 
were  made  to  the  destroyer  and  trawlers,  who  had, 
fortunately,  constituted  themselves  a  rear-guard. 

A  trawler  came  quickly  to  the  rescue  and  got 
hold  of  an  additional  wire  hanging  down  from  the 
envelope.  The  destroyer,  in  the  masterful  way  of 
these  craft,  proceeded  to  take  charge  of  the  opera- 
tions. Her  gooo-horse-power  engines  soon  turned 
the  airship  into  the  path  of  safety,  and  with  this 
big  addition  to  the  towing  power  it  was  less  than 
half-an-hour  later  when  the  great  envelope  was 
safely  landed  on  the  quayside,  much  to  the  amaze- 
ment of  the  townspeople. 


'  UNLUCKY  SMITH  " 

There  is,  however,  another  side  to  this  co-opera- 
tion between  fleets  of  the  sea  and  air.  It  has  more 
than  once  occurred  that  vessels  equipped  almost 

279 


From  Out  the  Clouds  and  Under-seas 

exclusively  for  submarine  hunting  have  been 
engaged  by  zeppelins,  and  actions  between  sea- 
planes and  under- water  craft  have  been  frequent. 

How  a  large  fleet  of  unarmed  fishing  vessels  were 
saved  and  a  zeppelin  raid  on  the  east  coast  of 
England  prevented  by  the  timely  action  of  an 
armed  auxiliary  proves  once  again  the  truth  of 
the  old  military  axiom  that  it  is  the  unexpected 
which  always  happens  in  war. 

It  had  been  one  of  the  few  really  hot  summer 
days  granted  by  a  grudging  climate.  The  sea  was 
a  sheet  of  glass,  the  sky  a  cloudless  blue,  except 
where  tinged  with  the  golden  glow  of  sunset. 
Lieutenant  Smith  smiled  somewhat  grimly  as 
he  mounted  the  little  iron  ladder  and  squeezed 
through  the  narrow  doorway  into  the  wheel-house. 
He  nodded  to  the  skipper — an  old  trawlerman 
acting  as  a  chief  warrant  officer  for  navigational 
duties — as  a  signal  for  the  mooring  ropes  to  be  cast 
off,  and  mechanically  rang  the  engine-room  tele- 
graph. He  had  done  all  these  things  in  the  same 
way  and  at  the  same  time  of  day  for  nearly  two 
years.  For  a  long  while  he  had  gone  forth  hope- 
fully, saying  to  himself  each  cruise,  "It's  bound 
to  come  soon/'  but  as  the  weeks  grew  into  months, 
and  the  months  promised  to  extend  into  years,  dis- 
appointment gained  the  mastery  and  duty  became 
appallingly  monotonous  and  uninteresting. 

This,  however,  did  not  cause  him  to  work  less 
strenuously  or  to  neglect  to  watch  the  large  fishing 
fleet  which  he  guarded  on  four  nights  out  of  the 
seven;  but  each  letter  he  received  from  old  friends 

280 


From  Out  the  Clouds  and  Under-seas 

in  other  branches  of  the  King's  service  brought 
tidings  of  excitement,  rapid  promotion,  or  at  least 
a  little  of  the  pomp  and  circumstance  of  war,  and 
he  saw  himself  at  the  end  of  it  all  with  nothing  to 
show  for  years  of  danger,  hardship  and  impaired 
health.  The  worry  and  the  lonely  monotony, 
trivial  as  he  knew  them  to  be,  were  slowly  sapping 
his  nerve  and  vitality. 

The  trawler  glided  from  the  harbour  on  to  the 
broad  expanse  of  tranquil  sea,  now  aglow  with  the 
lights  of  a  summer  sunset.  Slowly  the  coast-line 
faded  into  the  blue  haze  of  distance,  and  all  around 
the  watery  plain  was  mottled  with  the  shadowy 
patches  made  by  the  light  evening  breeze. 

Settling  himself  in  an  old  deck-chair,  which  he 
kept  in  the  wheel-house,  Smith  lit  his  pipe  and 
allowed  his  thoughts  to  wander,  but  every  now  and 
then  his  eyes  would  search  the  sea  from  slowly 
darkening  east  to  mellow  west. 

Although  the  summer  was  well  advanced,  there 
were  but  few  hours  of  darkness  out  of  the  twenty- 
four  in  these  northern  latitudes,  and  when  the 
armed  trawler  came  in  sight  of  the  widely  scattered 
fishing  fleet,  which  it  was  her  duty  to  guard 
throughout  the  night,  a  mystic  half-light  subdued 
all  colours  to  a  shadowy  grey,  but  a  pale  amber 
afterglow  still  lingered  in  the  sky  and  the  stars 
were  pale. 

Smith  lingered  a  few  minutes  on  deck  to  finish  a 
cigar  before  going  below  for  his  evening  meal. 
Seldom  during  the  past  year  had  all  the  elements 
been  so  long  at  peace,  and  the  contrast  appealed  to 

281 


From  Out  the  Clouds  and  Under-seas 

him  as  a  luxury  to  be  enjoyed  at  leisure.  Even  the 
light  breeze  of  sunset  had  died  away,  leaving  an 
unruffled  calm,  and  the  sails  and  stumpy  funnels 
of  the  little  fishing  craft  appeared  like  "  painted 
ships  on  a  painted  ocean/' 

For  nearly  an  hour  he  sat  inhaling  the  fragrant 
and  satisfying  smoke  from  more  than  one  cigar, 
preferring  the  cool  of  the  deck  to  the  stuffy  cabin. 
Then  a  dark  blot  appeared  from  out  of  the  lumin- 
ous blueness  of  the  eastern  sky  and  it  travelled 
rapidly  downwards  towards  his  flock. 

Smith  watched  it  for  several  seconds,  then  it 
suddenly  dawned  upon  him  that  the  hand  of  the 
destroyer  was  coming  even  into  this  haven  of 
peace,  and  a  fierce  resentment  entered  his  soul. 
He  heard  the  distant  shouting  of  fishermen  as  they 
cut  adrift  their  nets  and  prepared  to  scatter  before 
the  approaching  zeppelin,  and  in  a  moment  he 
realised  that  the  long-awaited  chance  had  come. 
It  all  seemed  too  unreal  to  be  true,  but  he  rose  up 
quickly  and  in  a  few  terse  sentences  gave  the 
necessary  orders  for  the  guns'  crews  and  engineers. 

The  whir  of  the  airship's  propellers  grew  rapidly 
louder  and  its  bulk  loomed  black  against  the  bright 
sky.  Determined,  however,  to  take  no  risk  of 
failure,  Lieutenant  Smith  withheld  the  fire  of  his 
guns  until  the  great  aerial  monster,  now  travelling 
down  to  less  than  1000  feet,  was  well  within  range. 

Attracted  by  the  helplessness  of  a  large  number 
of  fishing  craft  congregated  in  a  comparatively 
small  area  of  sea,  the  destroyer  dived  to  the  attack 
like  some  giant  bird  of  prey,  unable  in  the  gloom 

282 


From  Out  the  Clouds  and  Under-seas 

which    shrouded    the    earth    to    distinguish    the 
presence  of  an  armed  escort. 

The  suspense  was  painful.  Then  the  muzzles  of 
two  high-angle  guns  rose  up  from  the  well-deck 
and  superstructure  of  the  armed  patrol,  and  in 
response  to  a  low-toned  order  from  the  C.O.,  giving 
the  height,  time  and  deflection,  they  quickly 
covered  the  great  black  body  of  their  objective. 
Tongues  of  livid  flame  leapt  from  their  mouths  and 
were  followed  by  sharp  reports.  A  few  minutes  of 
heavy  firing  and  the  nose  of  the  monster  appeared 
to  sag. 

The  men  at  the  guns  yelled  exultantly,  re- 
doubling their  efforts,  and  shell  after  shell  went 
shrieking  heavenwards.  Suddenly  the  sea  around 
rose  up  in  huge  cascades  of  foam  and  a  shattering 
roar,  which  completely  dwarfed  the  voice  of  the 
guns,  shook  the  small  ship  from  stem  to  stern. 
Everything  movable  was  hurled  across  the  deck. 
Breaking  glass  flew  in  all  directions,  and  the  aerials 
at  the  mast-heads  snapped  and  <came  tumbling 
down  with  a  mass  of  other  gear.  The  cries  of 
injured  men  arose  from  different  parts  of  the  ship, 
but  still  the  guns  hurled  their  shells,  and  the 
zeppelin,  now  well  down  by  the  head,  rose  high 
into  the  upper  air  and  made  off  eastwards.  After 
dropping  all  her  bombs  in  close  proximity  to  the 
armed  trawler  she  had  lightened  herself  sufficiently 
to  rise  out  of  range,  but  whether  or  not  she  would 
be  able  to  keep  up  sufficientty  long  to  reach 
her  base,  over  300  miles  distant,  was  extremely 
doubtful. 

283 


From  Out  the  Clouds  and  Under-seas 

Flames  spurted  from  the  short  funnel  of  the 
patrol  as  she  steamed  at  full  speed  after  the  re- 
treating zeppelin,  endeavouring  to  keep  her  within 
range  as  long  as  possible.  It  was  a  question  of 
seconds.  Before  she  finally  disappeared  in  the 
increasing  darkness  another  long-range  hit  was 
observed  and  the  zeppelin  receded  from  view, 
drifting  helplessly. 

The  disappointment  at  not  being  able  to  give  the 
coup  de  grace  to  the  aerial  destroyer  was  keenly 
felt  by  all  on  board,  for  a  half  success  is  of  little 
account  in  the  navy.  The  gunners  had  done 
magnificently,  the  ship  had  been  manoeuvred 
correctly  and  four  of  the  crew  had  been  wounded 
by  fragments  from  the  bombs  dropped  en  masse, 
but  notwithstanding  their  exertions  and  the  luck 
which  had  brought  the  zeppelin  down  from  the 
security  of  the  skies,  they  had  failed  to  secure  the 
prize  legitimately  theirs.  That  the  attack  on 
the  fishing  fleet  had  been  successfully  beaten  off 
appeared  a  minor  detail,  and  the  voyage  back  to 
port  in  the  quickening  light  of  a  beautiful  summer 
morning  was  a  sad  pilgrimage.  Scarcely  a  word 
unnecessary  for  the  working  of  the  ship  was 
spoken,  except  Lieutenant  Smith's  brief  explana- 
tion that  it  was  just  his  luck. 

About  two  weeks  later  the  proverbially  "  un- 
lucky Smith  "  was  ordered  to  report  at  the  office 
of  the  Admiral  Commanding,  and  he  had  a  sharp 
struggle  to  maintain  a  becoming  composure  when 
he  heard  the  terse  compliment  and  the  mention  of 

284 


From  Out  the  Clouds  and  Under-seas 

a  recommendation  from  that  austere  officer, 
coupled  with  the  intelligence  that  the  zeppelin  had 
dropped  into  the  sea  off  the  coast  of  Norway. 

The  spell  was  broken,  and  the  brisk  step  and 
gleam  in  his  dark  eyes  told  their  own  tale  as  he 
walked  quickly  back  to  his  ship. 


285 


CHAPTER  XXVI 
ON  THE  SEA  FLANK  OF  THE  ALLIED  ARMIES 

IT  is  a  mere  truism  to  say  that  <  the  sea  outflanks 
all  land  operations  in  warfare.  Yet  how  many 
people  fully  realise  that  the  left  wing  of  the  Allied 
armies  in  Belgium  and  France  depended  for  its 
safety  on  the  naval  command  of  the  North  Sea  and 
English  Channel  ?  Had  this  sea  flank  been  per- 
manently penetrated  or  forced  back  by  the  German 
fleet,  the  result  must  have  been  disastrous  to  a 
large  section  of  the  Allied  military  line,  which 
actually  extended  from  the  North  Sea  to  ithe 
Mediterranean. 

Although  the  security  of  the  North  Sea  flank  did 
not  entirely  depend  upon  the  naval  forces  based  on 
Dover,  Dunkirk  and  Harwich — as  all  operations, 
whether  on  land  or  sea,  were  overshadowed  by  the 
unchallenged  might  of  the  Grand  Fleet,  which 
hemmed  in  the  entire  German  navy— it  was  upon 
these  light  forces,  largely  composed  of  units  of  the 
new  navy,  that  the  brunt  of  the  intermittent  flank 
fighting  and  the  repeated  attempts  by  the  enemy 
to  break  through — with  the  aid  of  all  kinds  of 
ruses  and  weapons — was  borne  for  four  and  a  half 
historic  years. 

The  detailed  story  of  their  work  on  the  Belgian 
coast  and  in  the  Straits  of  Dover  could  onljr  be  told 

286 


On  the  Sea  Flank  of  the  Allied  Armies 

in  a  separate  volume,  but  the  following  account  of 
a  bombardment  and  its  sequel  may  not  be  without 
interest  here.  Its  relevance  to  anti-submarine 
warfare  lies  in  the  fact  that  the  bombardment  was 
carried  out  with  the  object  of  destroying  the  nests 
of  these  under-water  craft  established  in  and 
around  Zeebrugge.  Much  that  has  also  been  said 
in  former  chapters  bases  its  claim  to  inclusion  in 
this  book  almost  entirely  on  the  fact  that  although 
it  did  not  deal  exclusively  with  submarine  fighting 
or  minesweeping,  it  nevertheless  formed  part  of  the 
daily  operations  of  the  auti-submarine  fleets,  and 
no  account  of  their  work  would  bear  any  resem- 
blance to  the  actual  truth  in  which  such  seemingly 
extraneous  episodes  were  excluded  as  irrelevant. 


THE  BOMBARDMENT  AND  ITS  SEQUEL 

There  was  a  flat  calm,  with  the  freshness  of  early 
summer  in  the  air.  Zeebrugge  lay  away  in  the 
darkness  some  fifteen  miles  to  the  south-east — 
awake,  watchful,  but  unsuspecting — when  the 
British  bombarding  squadron  steamed  in  towards 
the  coast  to  take  up  its  allotted  position  and  wait 
for  daybreak. 

It  was  a  heterogeneous  fleet,  screened  by  fast- 
moving  destroyers,  torpedo-boats,  trawlers,  M.L.'s 
and  C.M.B/s.  The  great  hulls  of  monitors  loomed 
black  against  the  paling  east,  and  the  long  thin  lines 
of  destroyers  moved  stealthily  across  the  shadowy 
sea.  No  lights  were  visible,  and  only  the  occa- 
sional rhythmic  thud  of  propellers  and  the  call  of 

287 


On  the  Sea  Flank  of  the  Allied  Armies 

an  awakened  sea-bird  broke  the  stillness  of  the 
morning  calm. 

The  sky  was  not  yet  alive  with  the  whir  of  sea- 
planes, and  the  'air  remained  undisturbed  by  the 
shattering  roar  of  guns  and  shells.  It  was  that 
brief  space  of  time  in  which  even  Nature  seems  to 
hold  her  breath  and  make  ready  for  the  coming 
storm.  The  only  movement  other  than  the  con- 
tinued circling  of  destroyers  was  towards  the 
shallow  water  close  inshore,  where  powerful  tugs 
were  towing  large  barges — flat-bottomed  craft 
carrying  gigantic  tripods  made  of  railway  metals. 
At  predetermined  places  these  were  dropped  over- 
board into  the  shallow  sea  and,  with  their  legs  em- 
bedded in  the  sandy  bottom  and  their  apices 
towering  high  above  the  surface,  they  formed 
observation  platforms  from  which,  in  conjunction 
with  aerial  scouts,  the  fire  of  the  big  ships  could  be 
accurately  directed  on  to  the  fortifications  ashore. 

These  tripods  were  laid  a  distance  apart  and 
quite  away  from  the  bombarding  ships,  but  a 
system  of  range-finding  and  signalling  had  been 
organised  and  an  officer  chosen  as  a  "  spotter  "  in 
each  trestle. 

The  post  of  honour  was  on  one  or  other  of  these 
observation  towers,  alone  with  the  necessary 
instruments.  The  big  shells  from  the  shore 
batteries  would  scream  overhead  ;  some  would 
plough  up  the  water  close  by,  smothering  the  tri- 
pod with  spray,  and  the  smaller  guns  would  direct 
their  fire  against  these  eyes  of  the  bombarding 
fleet.  The  chances  were  in  favour  of  a  hit,  then 

288 


On  the  Sea  Flank  of  the  Allied  Armies 

there  would  be  nothing  left  of  the  tripod  or  the 
spotter,  simply  a  brief  report  to  the  Admiral 

Commanding  that  No. observation  post  had 

been  destroyed  and  later  a  fresh  name  in  the 
casualty  lists.  It  was,  however,  accepted  as  the 
fortune  of  war,  and  many  volunteered. 

The  sky  brightened  until  a  pale  yellow  glow 
suffused  the  east,  while  behind  the  bombarding 
fleet  the  western  horizon  was  still  a  cold,  hazy 
blue.  A  flight  of  seaplanes  buzzed  overhead  and 
a  few  minutes  later  the  dull  reports  of  anti-aircraft 
guns  echoed  across  the  miles  of  still  water.  Tiny 
bright  flashes  from  white  puffs  of  smoke  appeared 
in  the  central  blue,  and  then  having  got  the  range 
the  great  guns  of  the  monitors  roared  away  their 
charges  and  the  scream  of  shells  filled  the  air.  The 
calm  of  the  morning  vanished,  and  with  it  the 
oppressive  silence  which  precedes  a  battle. 

It  was  some  time  before  the  German  airmen 
could  rise  from  the  ground  and  evade  the  British 
fighting  formations.  In  the  meantime  a  rain  of 
heavy  projectiles  from  the  fleet  was  destroying  all 
that  was  destroyable  of  the  harbour  and  works  of 
Zeebrugge.  With  the  aid  of  glasses  huge  clouds 
of  smoke  and  sand  could  be  seen  rising  into  the 
air  almost  every  second.  Objects  discernible  one 
minute  had  disappeared  when  the  smoke  cloud  of 
bursting  shells  had  moved  to  another  point  of  con- 
centration a  short  time  later.  When  at  last  the 
enemy's  planes,  in  isolated  ones  and  twos,  succeeded 
in  hovering  over  the  fleet  the  surface  of  the  sea  was 
almost  instantly  broken  by  great  spouts  of  white 
T  289 


On  the  Sea  Flank  of  the  Allied  Armies 

water,  at  first  far  away,  then  nearer,  and  the  battle 
commenced  in  earnest. 

A  vast  cloud  of  smoke  now  hung  like  a  black 
curtain  between  the  fleet  and  the  shore.  The 
M.L/s  were  emitting  their  smoke  screen  to  cover 
the  bombarding  ships.  Shells  splashed  into  the 
sea  all  around.  The  noise  and  vibration  of  the  air 
seemed  to  bruise  the  senses,  and  lurid  flashes  came 
from  the  smoking  monitors. 

It  was  at  this  stage  of  the  bombardment  that  the 
curious  and  unexpected  happened.  A  white  wave 
raced  along  the  surface  towards  a  monitor.  It  was 
too  big  for  the  wake  of  a  torpedo  and  quite  unlike 
the  periscope  of  a  submarine.  The  small,  quick- 
firing  guns  of  all  the  ships  within  range  were 
trained  on  it  and  the  sea  around  was  ploughed  up 
with  shell.  The  white  wave  swerved  to  avoid  the 
tornado  of  shot,  but  continued  to  make  direct  for 
the  hull  of  the  great  floating  fort  at  a  considerable 
speed.  Then,  as  it  drew  very  near  to  its  objective, 
a  shell  went  home  and  the  sea  was  rent  by  the  force 
of  a  gigantic  explosion,  eclipsing  that  of  any  known 
weapon  of  sea  warfare. 

It  was,  however,  soon  discovered  that  the 
mysterious  wave  came  from  a  fast  torpedo -shaped 
boat  which  was  evidently  being  controlled  by  electric 
impulses  from  a  shore  wireless  station  some  twelve 
to  fourteen  miles  distant,  the  necessary  information 
regarding  direction  of  attack  being  transmitted  by 
means  of  wireless  signals  from  a  seaplane  hovering 
overhead,  the  abnormal  force  of  the  explosion 
being  due  to  the  heavy  charge  of  high  explosive 

290 


On  the  Sea  Flank  of  the  Allied  Armies 

which  such  a  craft  was  able  to  carry  in  her  bow,  so 
arranged  as  to  fire  on  striking  the  object  of  attack. 

With  the  failure  of  this  ingenious  but  costly 
method  of  attack  precautions  were  at  once  taken 
against  a  repetition  and  the  seaplane  hovering  in- 
conveniently overhead  was  driven  off.  The  bom- 
bardment was  carried  on  for  the  allotted  span,  by 
which  time  the  shore  batteries  that  still  remained 
in  action  had  found  the  range,  notwithstanding 
the  heavy  smoke  screen  emitted  by  the  M.L.'s 
"  Heavies "  were  ploughing  up  the  water  un- 
pleasantly close  to  the  monitors,  one  of  which  was 
struck,  though  but  little  damaged. 

It  was  now  considered  time  to  draw  off  seawards, 
and  the  spotting  officers,  perched  on  their  tripods, 
had  to  climb  down  the  railway  irons  under  a  heavy 
fire  and  swim  to  the  ships  sent  to  rescue  them. 
The  tripods  were  then  pulled  over  on  to  their  sides 
by  ropes  attached  to  their  summits  and  left  lying 
in  the  shallow  water. 

Under  cover  of  the  smoke  screen  the  bombard- 
ing fleet  withdrew,  after  inflicting  severe  damage 
on  the  submarine  base  of  Zeebrugge. 

Some  two  weeks  previous  to  this  bombardment 
a  warship  patrolling  off  the  Belgian  coast  had  re- 
ported a  curious  explosion  in  the  direction  of  Nieu- 
port.  The  night  was  dark  and  the  stillness  of 
summer  rested  over  the  Pas-de-Calais.  Waves 
lapped  gently  the  distant  sand-dunes  and  war 
seemed  a  thing  far  away,  remote  as  the  icy  winds 
which  blow  around  the  Poles. 

291 


On  the  Sea  Flank  of  the  Allied  Armies 

In  the  conning-tower  and  at  the  gun  stations 
both  officers  and  men  watched  keenly,  silently,  for 
the  predatory  Hun.  At  any  moment  the  thin 
blackish-brown  hulls  of  a  raiding  flotilla  from  the 
bases  at  Zeebrugge  and  Ostend  might  slide  out  of 
the  blueness  of  the  night.  The  beams  of  search- 
lights would  momentarily  cross  and  recross  the 
intervening  sea  and  then  the  guns  would  mingle 
their  sharp  reports  with  the  groans  of  dying  men. 

To  the  nerve-racking  duties  of  night  patrol  in 
the  Straits  of  Dover  they  had  grown  accustomed- 
indifferent  with  the  contempt  born  of  familiarity — 
but  this  did  not  cause  any  relaxation  of  vigilance. 
The  element  of  surprise  is  too  important  a  factor  in 
modern  war  to  be  treated  lightly. 

So  it  happened  that  when,  shortly  after  eight 
bells  in  the  middle  watch,  a  momentary  flash  of 
lurid  flame  stabbed  the  darkness  away  over  the 
Belgian  coast,  and  was  followed  by  the  rumble  of  a 
great  but  distant  explosion,  no  one  stood  on  his 
head  or  lost  his  breath  blowing  up  a  patent  waist- 
coat, but  all  remained  at  the  "  still."  Minutes 
passed  and  nothing  happened.  Slowly  the  de- 
stroyer crept  closer  inshore,  but  the  night  was 
dark  and  no  further  sound  broke  its  stillness. 

For  two  hours  she  scouted  and  listened.  Little 
more  than  five  miles  away  lay  the  German  lines, 
and  the  theory  was  that  somewhere  in  that  maze  of 
trenches  and  batteries  an  explosion  had  occurred. 

Next  day  the  mystery  deepened,  for  it  became 
known  that  a  large  portion  of  Nieuport  Pier  had 
been  blown  away  during  the  night.  As  this  little 

292 


On  the  Sea  Flank  of  the  Allied  Armies 

seaport  was,  however,  inside  the  German  lines, 
the  mystery  remained  unexplained  until  after  the 
bombardment  of  Zeebrugge,  when  it  became 
known,  in  divers  manner,  that  one  of  the  electric- 
ally controlled  boats  had  been  out  on  a  night 
manoeuvre  and,  owing  to  the  difficulties  of  sea- 
plane observation  in  the  dark,  had  accidentally 
struck  the  breakwater  of  Nieuport. 

Many  of  the  patrol  boats  guarding  the  Straits  of 
Dover  or  mines  weeping  under  the  fire  of  German 
coast  batteries  off  the  Belgian  sand-dunes  spent 
their  days  or  nights  of  rest  (!)  in  the  French  seaport 
of  Dunkirk,  returning  to  Dover  only  after  consider- 
able periods  of  work  on  the  opposite  coast. 

It  may  be  thought  that  there  was  but  little 
difference  between  life  in  the  British  port  and  that 
in  the  French  town,  considering  the  short  stretch 
of  sea  between  them.  The  following  account  of  a 
night  in  Dunkirk  will,  however,  give  some  idea  of 
the  advantage  gained  by  having  even  thirty  miles 
of  blue  water  between  an  active  enemy  and  a  com- 
fortable bed. 


A  NIGHT  IN  DUNKIRK 

The  night  seemed  uncannily  quiet.  In  time  of 
peace  it  would  have  passed  unnoticed  as  just 
ideal  summer  weather,  but  when  the  human  ear 
had  grown  accustomed  to  the  almost  perpetual 
thunder  of  the  Flanders  guns  any  cessation  of  the 
noise  gave  a  feeling  of  disquietude,  only  to  be 

293 


On  the  Sea  Flank  of  the  Allied  Armies 

likened  to  the  hush  of  great  forests  before  a  tropical 
storm.  The  little  town  of  Dunkirk,  with  its  many 
ruins,  was  bathed  in  shadow,  unrelieved  by  any 
artificial  light,  but  the  narrow,  tortuous  harbour 
showed  a  silvery  streak  in  the  brilliant  moonrays. 
Above  the  sleeping  town,  with  its  Poilu  sentries 
and  English  sailors,  was  the  deep  indigo  sky, 
spangled  with  stars. 

Custom  had  taught  the  few  civilian  and  the 
many  naval  and  military  inhabitants  of  Dunkirk 
to  regard  calm  moonlight  nights  with  very  mixed 
feelings.  It  was  seldom  indeed  that  the  Boche 
neglected  such  an  opportunity  for  an  air  raid.  Not 
merely  one  brief  bombardment  from  the  skies,  but 
a  succession  of  them,  lasting  from  dusk  until  early 
morning,  and  repeated  night  after  night  while  the 
weather  remained  favourable. 

Owing  to  adequate  preparations  for  such  attacks 
the  casualties  were  generally  few,  but  the  loss  of 
sleep  was  nearly  always  great,  unless  the  individual 
was  so  tired  with  the  day's  or  week's  minesweeping, 
spell  in  the  trenches,  or  sea  patrol  that  the  "  pop- 
ping "  of  guns  and  the  thud  of  bombs  merely 
caused  a  semi-return  to  consciousness,  with  a  mild, 
indefinable  feeling  of  vexation  at  being  momentarily 
disturbed. 

To  the  majority,  however,  it  meant  not  only  the 
loss  of  sorely  needed  sleep,  but  also  hard  work 
under  trying  conditions.  To  realise  fully  what  it 
is  to  be  deprived  of  rest  when  the  brain  is  reeling 
and  the  movement  of  every  limb  is  an  agony,  it  is 
necessary  to  have  worked,  marched  and  fought  for 

294 


On  the  Sea  Flank  of  the  Allied  Armies 

days  and  nights  incessantly,  and  then  the  moral 
as  distinct  from  the  material  effect  of  successive  air 
raids  will  be  duly  appreciated  by  those  fortunate 
ones  who  spent  the  years  1914  to  1918  remote  from 
the  menace. 

Although  Dunkirk  on  this  particular  August 
night  seemed  uncannily  quiet,  the  hour  was  not 
late.  By  Greenwich  time  it  was  but  a  few  minutes 
past  nine,  and  two  bells  had  only  just  sounded 
through  the  many  and  diverse  ships  lying  in  tiers 
alongside  the  quays.  So  warm  were  the  soft 
summer  zephyrs,  wrhich  scarcely  stirred  the  surface 
of  the  water,  that  on  the  decks  of  many  of  these 
war-worn  sweepers  and  patrols  men  lay  stretched 
out  under  the  sky  in  the  sound  sleep  of  exhaustion, 
while  on  the  quays  and  at  other  points  in  the  half- 
wrecked  town  steel-helmeted  French  sentries  kept 
watch. 

Of  the  British  naval  forces  based  on  this  little 
French  seaport  few  were  ashore,  as,  without  special 
permission,  both  officers  and  men  had  to  remain  on 
their  ships  after  sunset,  and  those  not  playing  cards 
or  reading  in  the  cabins  were  lounging  and  smok- 
ing on  deck.  Blot  out  of  the  view  the  ruined 
houses,  the  shell-holes  in  the  streets,  the  guns,  the 
dug-outs  and  the  sentries,  and  few  scenes  more  un- 
like the  popular  conception  of  a  big  war  base,  with 
the  enemy  only  a  few  miles  distant,  can  be  imagined. 

But  Dunkirk  in  that  year  of  grace,  1917,  did  not 
always  wear  so  peaceful  a  garb.  There  were  fre- 
quent periods  when  the  shells  whistled  over  or  on 
to  the  town,  when  the  earth  trembled  from  the 

295 


On  the  Sea  Flank  of  the  Allied  Armies 

concussion  of  high  explosives,  when  buildings 
collapsed  or  went  heavenwards  in  clouds  of  dust, 
when  the  streets  were  illumined  with  the  yellow 
flash  of  picric  acid,  or  were  filled  with  clouds  of 
poisoned  gas,  when  ambulances  clattered  over  the 
cobblestones,  trains  of  wounded  rolled  in  from  the 
firing  line  and  the  killed  and  maimed  were  landed 
from  the  sea. 

The  first  indication  of  the  change  from  calm  to 
storm  came  at  the  early  hour  of  10  P.M.,  when  the 
air  raid  warning  sounded  throughout  the  town. 
On  the  quayside  all  was  ordered  haste.  Mooring 
ropes  were  cast  off  with  a  minimum  of  shouting, 
and  the  larger  ships  moved  slowly  down  the  harbour 
towards  the  open  sea.  The  few  small  vessels  left 
seemed  to  crouch  under  the  dock  walls. 

Sentries  left  their  posts  to  take  shelter  in  the 
great  dug-outs,  constructed  of  heavy  timbers  and 
sand-bags.  These  were  situated  at  convenient 
points  throughout  the  battered  little  town.  In 
the  houses  some  people  descended  to  the  cellars, 
but  many  remained  wherever  they  happened  to  be, 
while  in  the  cabins  of  the  few  ships  which  remained 
in  harbour  the  games,  the  reading,  the  letter-writing 
and,  in  a  few  cases,  even  the  sleeping  went  on  un- 
disturbed. 

After  a  short  interval  of  oppressive  silence, 
during  which  time  no  light  or  sound  came  from  the 
seemingly  deserted  town,  a  faint  whir  of  pro- 
pellers became  just  audible  in  the  stillness  of  the 
summer  night.  Then  it  died  away  momentarily. 
Suddenly  a  bright  glare,  like  that  of  a  star-shell,  lit 

296 


On  the  Sea  Flank  of  the  Allied  Armies 

up  the  roofs  and  streets,  and  almost  simultaneously 
came  the  dull  vibrating  report  of  a  bomb.  It 
sounded  from  the  direction  of  the  cathedral. 
Searchlights  flashed  out  from  various  points,  but 
their  powerful  rays  were  lost  in  the  luminous  vault 
above.  Guns  roared  and  bright  flashes  appeared 
like  summer  lightning  in  the  sky.  Every  few 
seconds  the  town  trembled  from  the  shock  of 
exploding  bombs,  first  at  one  point  and  then  at 
another,  but  nothing  could  be  seen  of  the  raiding 
squadron.  Pieces  from  the  shells  bursting  over- 
head and  fragments  of  bombs  and  shattered 
masonry  fell  like  rain  into  the  streets  and  into  the 
waters  of  the  harbour. 

On  the  quayside  a  big  aerial  torpedo  had 
made  a  crater  large  enough  to  bury  the  horse  which 
it  had  killed  in  a  near-by  stable.  A  few  seconds 
later  another  bomb  fell  close  to  a  minesweeper  and 
a  fragment  gashed  the  decks  but  did  not  penetrate 
them.  In  the  cabins  the  concussion  of  almost 
every  bomb  which  fell  on  shore  was  felt  with 
curious  precision.  The  glass  of  wheel-houses  and 
deck  cabins  was  shattered,  and  the  rattle  and  thud 
on  the  decks  and  iron  sides  denoted  the  storm  of 
falling  metal. 

The  din  of  the  raid  went  on  for  some  time  and 
then  died  away  with  a  final  long-range  shot  from 
"  Loose  Lizzie  "  on  the  hills  behind.  When  all 
was  clear  heads  appeared  from  hatchways,  dug- 
outs and  cellars.  People  searched  the  sky 
curiously  in  an  endeavour  to  make  sure  that  there 
was  "no  deception/'  although  from  first  to  last 

297 


On  the  Sea  Flank  of  the  Allied  Armies 

nothing  had  been  seen  of  the  raiders  except  by 
those  with  the  instruments,  the  searchlights  and 
the  guns.  The  latest  news  of  the  damage  caused  — 
two  houses,  a  man  and  a  horse  —went  from  mouth 
to  mouth.  Then  the  summer  night  regained  its 
tranquillity  and  Dunkirk  slept. 
•  •••*  ••• 

The  familiar  boom  sounded  its  loudest  in  the 
stillness  of  the  night  and  the  ground  seemed  to 
tremble  the  more  violently  because  of  the  darkness. 
It  was  i  A.M.  The  young  moon  had  sunk  beneath 
the  horizon  and  a  light  film  of  cloud  had  drifted 
over  the  sky. 

The  old  French  reservist  doing  sentry-go  on  the 
quay  glanced  up  with  a  shrug  of  indifference 
and  slowly  shouldering  his  rifle  walked  leisurely 
towards  a  dug-out.  Searchlights  became  busy 
exploring  the  sky.  This  time  their  rays  were  not 
lost  in  the  opaque  blueness  above,  but  went  up  in 
well-defined  columns  of  light  until  reflected  on  the 
lofty  clouds.  Presently  the  beams  concentrated 
and,  when  the  eyes  had  grown  accustomed  to  the 
glare,  little  white  "butterflies  "  were  seen  circling 
in  the  upper  air.  Then  the  guns  opened  fire  and 
white  pufts,  like  tiny  balls  of  cotton-wool,  appeared 
among  the  butterflies.  The  earth  trembled  with 
the  explosion  of  falling  bombs  and  the  recoil  of 
anti-aircraft  batteries.  A  little  flicker  of  yellow 
light  appeared  in  the  circle  of  white.  The  guns 
increased  in  violence.  The  yellow  light  grew  in 
size.  It  was  falling.  The  burning  machine 
crashed  to  earth. 

298 


On  the  Sea  Flank  of  the  Allied  Armies 

The  bombs  and  the  gun-fire  lasted  for  some 
twenty  minutes  and  then  ceased  suddenly,  as  if 
by  prearranged  signal.  Allied  squadrons  were  in 
the  air  and  the  distant  crackle  of  machine  guns 
sounded  from  the  skies.  It  died  away,  however, 
almost  immediately,  but  the  raiders  were  chased 
back  to  within  their  own  lines  minus  two  of  their 
number. 

With  the  coming  of  dawn  two  solitary  hostile 
machines  circling  at  a  fairly  low  altitude  could  be 
seen.  They  dropped  no  bombs,  but  the  reason  for 
their  presence  was  soon  apparent.  Shells  from 
the  long-range  guns  behind  the  German  lines 
began  to  moan,  whistle  and  burst  in  and  around 
the  luckless  town.  A  hit  was  signified  by  a  cloud 
of  smoke,  dust  and  debris,  and  ambulances  again 
became  busy  in  the  stone-paved  streets. 

One  shell,  carrying  sufficient  explosive  to  blow 
up  an  average-sized  ship,  ploughed  up  the  water 
of  the  harbour,  but  did  no  damage,  and  by  6  A.M. 
Allied  squadrons  had  chased  away  the  hostile 
aerial  observers.  Once  again  the  peace  of  an 
ideal  summer  morning  reigned  over  the  historic 
town. 

The  few  minesweeping  and  other  ships  which 
had  remained  in  the  harbour  through  the  night 
now  commenced  to  show  signs  of  returning  life 
and  activity.  Heavy  brown  smoke  poured  from 
the  funnels  of  some,  the  staccato  noise  of  oil  engines 
came  from  others,  and  men  were  busy  on  the  decks 
of  all.  The  night's  "  rest  "  was  over  and  the  vital 
work  of  sweeping,  possibly  under  an  irritating  fire 

299 


On  the  Sea  Flank  of  the  Allied  Armies 

from  shore  batteries  and  the  strain  of  a  necessarily 
ever-alert  patrol,  commenced  afresh.  The  steady 
barometer  promised  a  fine  day  for  the  harvesting 
of  mines  and,  for  the  ships  that  returned,  another 
night's  rest  similar  to  the  previous  three  ! 


300 


INDEX 


ABERDEEN  harbour  mined,  209 
Aden,  mine-field  laid  off,  145 
Admiralty  dispatch  bearers,  108 
Aerial  attacks,  293-300 
— .  bombs,  effect  of,  297 

—  warfare  and  submarine  fighting, 

.273 

Aircraft  and  convoys,  116 
Airship,  salving  of,  273-279 
Allied  navies,  69 

A  memorable  Christmas,  191-201 
American  first  army,  transport  of, 

124 

Arctic  patrol,  52,  227 
— .  seas,  work  in,  193-201 
Area    of    sea    covered    daily    by 

sweepers,  161 
Areas,  command  of,  23 

—  patrol  of,  128-131 
Armed  liners,  51 
Armies,  transport  of,  1 16 
Atlantic  patrol,  226-232 
Australian  first  army,  transport  of, 

123 
Auxiliary  patrol  office,  25 

BASES  and  their  fleets,  113-115 
— •  war,  23,  24,  102-115 
Battle  of  Jutland,  248-256 
Beatty,  Sir  David,  249,  255,  256 
Blister  system  on  monitors,  178 
Blockade,  naval,  1 8 
Boarding  parties,  201-208,  270 
Bombardment  of  Zeebrugge,   287- 

293 

Bombay,  mine-field  laid  off,  145 
Bombs,  submarine,  91 
Boom-defence  ships,  68 

—  staff,  in 

Brighton  Queen,  H.M.S.,  54 
Britannia,  H.M.S.,  torpedoed,  101 
British  coast  completely  mined -in, 

J45 
— -  Empire,  dangerous  position  of, 

117 

CALL  of  the  White  Ensign,  31,  33 
Camouflaged  ships,  73,  95 
Canada,  officers  from,  44, 195 


Canadian  first  army,  transport  of, 

!23 

Case  of  mistaken  identity,  190-191 

Castaways,  238-247 

Casualties,  naval,  in  Great  War,  27, 

256 

Casualty,  a,  220 
Chaplains,  naval,  109-110 
Christmas  Day,  1916,  192-201 
Clearing  large  mine-fields,  161 
Coastal  motor  boats,  62 
— .  construction  of,  62-68 
— •  method  of  attack,  65 
— .  bases  of,  65 

—  v.  German  destroyers,  66 

— .  in    actions    pff    Zeebrugge   and 

Ostend,  61,  68,287 
Colombo,  mine-field  laid  off,  145 
Colonial  officers,  44-45 
Colonies,  aid  from,  21 
Concentration     of     British     fleet, 

August,  1914,  17 
Convoy,  composition  of,  118-119 
Convoy  ships,  115 
Convoy  system ,  116-125 
Convoying,  difficulties  of,  122 
Convoys,  minesweeping  in  front  of, 

121,    162 

Co-operation  between  fleets  of  sea 

and  air,  279 
Cruiser  Squadron,  the  Tenth,  51-52 

DAN-BUOYS,  199 

Danish  derelict,  202-208 

Decoy  system  of  attack,  137-138 

Deluding  patrols,  236 

Demobilisation,  naval,  28 

Depth  charge,  construction  of,  80-84 

—  method  of  use,  80-84 

—  attacks  with,  81-84,  262 
Depth  charges,  70,  84 
Derelict,  a,  201-208 
Destruction  of  a  U-C  boat,  209,  218 
Division  of  sea  into  patrol  areas, 

128-131 

Docker  battalions,  121 
Dominions,  aid  from,  21 
Dover  lighted  barrage,  1 83- 1 85 

—  naval  base,  103 


301 


Index 


Dover  patrols,  286,  295-300 
Drafting  officers,  no 
Drifter  units,  54,  55,  114 
Drifters,  loss  of  in  Adriatic,  56 
— .  — -in  Straits  of  Dover,  56 
Duffel  clothing,  195 
Dunkirk,  a  night  spent  in,  293-300 
— .  patrols,  286,  293-300 

EFFECT  of  danger  on  human  senses, 

261 

Effect  of  shell  fire,  256 
Electrically    controlled     boats    off 

Zeebrugge,  290-293 
Engadine,  H.M.S.,  255 
England's  food  supply,  18-19 
Evening  quarters  in  warships,  41 
Examination  ships,  68 
Excitement,  suppressed,  before  an 

action,  259 
Exploratory  mines  weeping,  158-161 

FIGHT,  an  epic,  226-232 
Finding  the  ships,  guns  and  men,  21 
Firth  of  Forth,  mines  in,  209 
Fishing  fleets,  armed  guards  with, 

279-285 

Fleet  sweeping,  161 
French  ship,  mysterious  disappear- 
ance of,  264 

GERMAN  High  Sea  Fleet,  249 

—  naval  position  in  1914,  18 

—  submarine  bases,  127 

—  mine-laying,  143 

—  raiders,  Wolfe  and  Moewe,  145 

—  mines,  description  of,  145,  148 
— ,  — .  and  Hague  Convention,  150- 

— .  mine-laying  policy,  154-156 

—  submarine  offensive,  155 

—  mines  weeping,  169 

—  submarines,  loss  of,  1 86 

—  mine-field,  a  Christmas  spent  on, 
192-201 

Grand  Fleet,  233,  255,  286 
— .  bases,  103 
Granton  Naval  Base,  103 
Guarding  a  mine-field,  201 
Gunboats  patrol,  53 
Gunnery  classes,  43-44 

HARBOUR  duties,  115 

—  mines  at  entrance  to,  209-219 

—  sweeping,  162 


Harwich  patrols,  286 

Hermione,    training    ship    for   new 

navy,  33,  36-49 
Hope  of  action,  202 
Hydrophone  attack,  134-135 

—  branch  of  naval  service,  76 
— .  flotillas,  134-135 
Hydrophones,  70-84 

— .  object  of,  70 

—  portable,  71 
use  of,  71-72 

— .  construction  of,  72-74 

—  limitations  in  use  of,  77-78 
— .  directional,  75 

—  —  use  of,  76 

—  fitted  in  U  and  U-C  boats,  76-77 

ICELAND  fishing  fleet,  195,  200 
Indian  Ocean,  mine-fields  in,  145 
Indicator  nets,  85,  89,  138,258-263 
Intelligence  offices  in  naval  bases, 

108,  129 

Interpreter  officers,  68 
Invincible,  H.M.S.,  255 
Isolation  of  mined  areas,  159 

JELLICOE,  Sir  John,  252 
KING'S  Messengers,  108 

LANCE  bombs,  91 
Life-boat,  work  of,  222-223 
Lighted  barrage,  183 
Lightning  reveals  U-boat,  260 
Lion,  H.M.S.,  after  Jutland,  56,  254 
Liverpool  harbour/mined-in,  209 
Loss  of  ships,  percentage  of,  54,  55 
Lowestoft  harbour  mined-in,  209 
Lusitania,  sinking  of,  1 8 

MANNING  of  British  ships  in  past,  20 
Mercantile  fleets  under  convoy,  116 

—  Marine,  122 

— .  shipping  in  danger  zone,  209 
Merchant  ships,  loss  of,  due  to  mines, 

155 
Methods  of    attacking  submarines, 

134-142 
Mine  barrages,  129,    139,  156,  179, 

286 

Mine-field,  Christmas  on,  192-200 
Mine- fields,  deep-laid,  139,  179-186 
Mine-layers,  233-236 
Mine  nets,  39,  138 
Mine-protection  devices,  175-178 
Mined  areas,  isolation  of,  159 


302 


Index 


Minesweeping,    54,    121,    157,    178, 

209,  293-300 
Mine-laying  from   U-C   boats,    152- 

153.  157 
Mines  destroyed  by  British  Navy, 

155,158,209 
Mines,  floating,  150 
Mining  School,  Portsmouth,  163 
M.L.'s.    See  under  Motor  Launches 
Modified  sweeps,  96-101 
Moewe,  German  raider,  145 
Monotony,  effect  of,  2  80 
Moonlight,  effect  of  on  searchlights , 

297-298 

Moral  effect  of  air  raids,  295 
Moray  Firth,  mine-field  in,  161 
Morning  divisions  in  warships,  41 
Motor  launch  flotillas,  36,  115,  134- 

136 
Motor  launches,  Admiralty  contract 

for,  57 

Motor  launches,  arrival  of,  3  8 
— .  construction  of,  58-62 
— .  description  of,  56 

—  area  patrolled  by,  61 

—  loss  of,  62 

—  in    actions    off    Zeebrugge    and 
Ostend,  62,  287 

Mysteries  of  sea  war,  264-272 

—  of  submarine  hunting,  126-162 

—  of  German  mine-laying,  143-156 
— .  of  minesweeping,  157-178 
Mystery  ships,  96,   101 

— .  numbers  employed,  96 

NATIONAL  Insurance,  125 
Naval  bases,  102-115 

—  centres,  129 

—  College,  Greenwich,  35 
— .  policy,  British,  31 

—  School  of  Submarine  Mining,  163 

—  situation  in  1914,  18 
Navigation,    dangers     of,    in     war 

time,  265-266 

—  training  in,  46-49 

Navy,  expansion  of,  in  past  wars,  2  8 
Nerve  tension  before   action,    261, 

288 

Nets,  submarine,  56,  85-89 
New  fleets  in  being,  50-69 
New  navy,  composition  of,  50-69 
— .  formation  into 'flotillas,  68-69 
— .  growth  of,  23 
— .  officers  and  men  of,  25,^33-34 

—  raison  d'etre,  1 8 

New  Zealand,  H.M.S.,  255 


New  Zealand,  officers  from,  39 

—  waters,  mines  in,  145 
Nieuport  pier,  destruction  of,  292 
Night  attacks,  258-263 

— .  patrol,  209,  292 

North  Sea,  area  of,  20 

— .  British  naval  blockade  of,  124 

—  gales,  220 

Northern  mine  barrage,  182 

OFFICERS,  training,  36-49 
Oil  trails,  218,  263 

PARAVANES,  175-177 
Patrol  areas,  23-24,  128-131 

—  boats,  130-133 

on   lines    of    communication 

during  Jutland,  257 
Personnel  of  new  navy,  32 
Petrol  fumes,  danger  of,  275-276 
Picric  acid,  for  causing  and  allevi- 
ating pain,  257 

Port  minesweeping  officers,  in,  163 
Princess  Royal,  H.M.S.,  255 
Privateers,  old  and  new,  117-118 

"Q"  BOATS,  96-101 
— .  description  of,  96-99 

—  number  employed,  96 

Qi9,     action     of,     in    Straits    of 

Gibraltar,  99 
Queenstown  naval  base,  103 

RAIDERS,  German,  cruises  of,  145 

Red  Cross  work,  248-252 

Refits,  226 

Rescue  work,  220-225,  238,  273-279 

Rescued  crews,  247 

Resource  II.,  H.M.S.,  36 

Restriction    of    submarine    danger 

zone,  126 
Return  of  fleet  from  Jutland,  254- 

256 

Rosyth  Dockyard,  103 
Routine  sweeping,  161 
Royal  Naval  Reserve,  37 

.  Volunteer  Reserve,  36 

Royal  Navy  and  Merchant  Service, 26 
— •  —  manning  of,  in  past,  26-27 
Russian  army,  transport  of,  123 
— .  lines  of  communication,  22 

—  War  of  1854-1856,  26 

SALVING  live  mines,  151-152 
Scandinavian  convoys,  123-124 

—  —  attacks  on,  124 


303 


Index 


Scapa  Flow,  103 

Scottish  waters,  mine-fields  in,  147 

Sea  fight,  elements  of,  255 

— .  flanks  of  armies,  286-300 

—  power,  elements  of,  26 

—  stalking,  270 
Seamanship  classes,  41-43 
Searching  for  mines,  162 
Shallow- water  sweeping,  162 
Shell-shock  cases,  257 
Ships  of  the  new  navy,  20-22 
Sick  bay,  shells  burst  in,  256 
Singapore  mine-field,  145 
Sinking  of  last  U-boat,  99 
Sloop  flotillas,  52 

Smoke  screens,  92-93,  290 
S.O.S.,  238 

Sounds,  submarine,  70-73 
South  African  mine- fields,  145 
Southampton,  H.M.S.,  255 
Southampton        Water        training 

ground,  38 
Spanish  Armada,  233 
Spectre  of  the  Goodwins,  265 
Spotting  officers  at  Zeebrugge,  288- 

291 

Staff  Headquarters,  24 
Standard  ships,  120 
Submarine   Engineering  of  To-day, 

154 

Submarine  hide-and-seek,  77-78 
— .  nets,  258-263 

—  phase  of  naval  war,  17-20 

—  sounds,  70-73 

—  v.  submarine,  140 
— .  v.  merchantman,  19 

—  warfare  of  the  future,  127 
Sutphen,  Henry  R.,  57-58 
Sydney,  H.M.S.,  123 

TACTICAL  methods,  134-135 
Task  of  Allied  navies,  18-35 
Tenth  Cruiser  Squadron,  52,  232 
Theatre  of  war,  principal,  20 
Thornycroft,    Messrs    John    T.,    & 

Co.  Ltd.,  65 
Tides,  effect  of,  on  moored  mines,  149 

-on  minesweeping,  171 

Toast  of  the  British  Navy,  48 
Tracking  U-boats,  methods  of,  129- 

131 
Training   an  anti-submarine  force, 

36-49 


Transport  of  Allied  armies,  116 
Trawler  units,  54,  55,  113 
Treachery,  guarding  against,  270 
Tripods    (for  observation)  at  Zee- 
brugge, 280 

U-BOATS,  fishing  for,  87-88,  258-263 
— .  sunk,  263 

—  sunk  by  Qi9,  97-100 
U-C  boats,  144 

United   States,   effect  on   German 
mine-laying,  156 

—  help  from,  21 

—  navy,  69 

—  warships  attacked,  125 
University,  a  naval,  46-49 
Unrecorded  sea  fights,  204 

VERY'S  pistols,  246,  276 
Victory,  H.M.S.,  at  Trafalgar,  30 
Von  Hipper's  fleet,  255 

WAR  base,  a  typical,  102 

—  bases,  23,  102,  115 
description  of,  104-115 

—  Cabinet  and  convoys,  125 

—  Channel,  160,  172-175 
Wardrooms  in  naval  bases,  112 
Warspite,  H.M.S.,  254 
Waterloo,  a  replica  of,  250 
Weapons,  curious,  85-95 
Weather,  effect  of,  on  naval  opera- 
tions, 233 

Whaler  units,  53-54,  115 
William  Whiteley's,  a  naval,  107 
Winter  patrol,  209 
Wolfe,  German  raider,  145 
Wounded,  transport  of,  256-257 

YACHT  clubs,  officers  from,  32 
Yacht,  armed,  53 

ZEEBRUGGE,  bombardment  of,  287- 

293 
Zeppelin  attacks  fishing  fleet,  282, 

285 

Zeppelin  raids,  48-49 
Zigzagging  to  avoid  U-boats,  1 16 
Zones  of  war,  drafting  to,  50-51 

—  vessels  leaving  for,  187 


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